An industrial boom lift collapsed Thursday at a Metchosin worksite, leaving one man dead and another injured.
West Shore RCMP and B.C. Ambulance Service responded to initial reports of a “crane” collapsing at approximately 2:40 p.m. at a construction site in the 4700-block of McVicker Road in Metchosin.
They found two victims at the site, one deceased and one injured. RCMP initially believed that the dead man was the lift operator, but further investigation confirmed that 42-year-old Robert Davison, who was working on the ground, sustained significant injuries which proved fatal. The injuries suffered by the operator of the boom lift are still undetermined.
Metchosin firefighters were first on scene. Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop said Davison, pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, suffered “traumatic arrest due to the incident,” said Dunlop. She couldn’t confirm which injuries caused his death.
RCMP would not release any more details on this ongoing investigation.
They are working with WorkSafe B.C. and the B.C. Coroners Service to determine what caused the lift to collapse.
katie@goldstreamgazette.com