SUDBURY – On January 29th, 2014 at 4:20 p.m., officers from the Sudbury Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a fatal industrial accident in a remote area on Dunbar Road, Dunbar Township.
Preliminary investigation revealed a logging tractor-trailer became stuck in the ditch and a decision was made to utilize a grapple excavator to remove the tractor-trailer.
As workers were in the process of hooking-up chains to the tractor, the driver of the excavator proceeded up a slight incline and positioned the excavator sideways in front of the tractor-trailer. At this time, the excavator began sliding and subsequently pinned the two men who were standing in front of the tractor-trailer.
The men are identified as Stéphane DESAULNIERS, age 28 of Lac à la Tortue, QC who was pronounced dead at the scene and Pierre MORIN, age 43 of Chelmsford, ON who was airlifted to hospital in Sudbury where he succumbed to his injuries.
The male driver of the excavator was not injured.
The investigation is continuing with the assistance of the Ministry of Labour.