Chris Straw (left) and Marc Doré were killed in a March 2021 construction accident which the family claim was due to a poorly repaired part on the concrete pumper truck the two were using. (submitted photos)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

FATAL ACCIDENT

‘Sequence of poor decisions:’ families of men killed at Gabriola Island work site sue for damages

Mar 9, 2022 | 4:46 PM

GABRIOLA ISLAND — The family of two men killed at a construction site are suing the company managing the site.

Chris Straw, 62, and Marc Doré, 59, were killed with the arm of a concrete pumper truck broke and hit both of them on March 16, 2021. Their wives were on site at the time of the incident.

The suit against four different companies claims a weld repair on the truck’s turning column after a November 2020 incident was not properly inspected despite being given a positive inspection report.

“A few months later…the truck’s boom experienced a catastrophic failure while working at the Gabriola Island property,” a statement from the family read. “This metal failure occurred in the same area of the boom as the previous weld repair.”

M&K Ready Mix Inc., Tripac Engineering Ltd., Alliance Concrete Pumps Inc., and JunJim Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. are all named as co-defendants in two separate civil claims.

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The truck in question was owned and operated by M&K Ready Mix Inc. while Alliance Concrete Pumps conducted the weld repair. Tripac Engineering Ltd. inspected the truck and certified the repair, according to the notice of civil claim.

JunJin Heavy Industry created the part in question.

The suit alleges after pouring the first wall of a new property at the Gabriola Island site, an extended boom from the truck snapped off and hit both men, fatally injuring them.

“We believe this tragedy happened because of a sequence of poor decisions and actions as outlined in the WorkSafe BC report,” the statement read. “Our families want to ensure that no other families face the anguish we are living with.”

The claim seeks numerous forms of relief, including special and general damages.

Once the claim is served to the defendants, they have 21 days to file a response.

None of the claims from the family have been proven in court.

Straw and Doré were longtime friends who worked together at CBC before starting a home construction business on Gabriola Island.

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