Grieving families mark one year since crane collapse killed 5 men in Kelowna
CBC
One year after five men were killed in a crane collapse on a construction site in Kelowna, B.C., police and workplace safety investigators are still combing through evidence about what happened and why.
As the families of the dead workers marked the sombre anniversary, some said while the wait for answers has been frustrating, they're prepared to be patient if a long investigation also means a thorough one.
"I'm more than willing to wait," said Chris Vilness.
His son, 23-year-old Cailen Vilness, was killed on his first day back on the job after a vacation spent visiting family in his hometown of Kitimat. B.C.
Vilness said he just wants all the facts.
"We know the mechanics of what happened on that tower, but we are still uncertain about much of the rest of it," he said.
"I want to know who's accountable."
On the morning of July 12, 2021, the arm of a crane fell about 25 storeys as it was being dismantled at the site of a residential tower under construction by the real estate company Mission Group. It smashed into a neighbouring office building and a seniors' home.
Four construction workers were killed: Cailen Vilness, Jared Zook, and brothers Eric and Patrick Stemmer. Brad Zawislak, who was working in the office building, also died. A fifth construction worker was injured in the collapse.
Kelowna RCMP say their investigation into what happened has been handed over to a dedicated team within the serious crimes unit.
"This is a complex investigation of what is being described as one of the largest workplace fatalities in B.C.'s history. There is a significant amount of technical evidence for my team to analyze," Kelowna RCMP Insp. Beth McAndie said in a news release.
WorkSafeBC says its investigators have spent the past year consulting with experts and engineers and reviewing evidence from the scene. There's no timeline for when that will be complete.
A parallel B.C. Coroners Service investigation also remains open.
The North Okanagan Labour Council planned to hold a memorial service for the victims on Tuesday, with a moment of silence to mark the time of the collapse, at roughly 10:45 a.m. PT.
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