Four Sudbury miners honoured nearly four decades after a tragic workplace incident

It’s been 38 years, but the memories of Wayne St. Michel, Sulo Korpela, Richard Chenier and Daniel Lavallee live on.

A rock burst claimed their lives in 1984 at the Falconbridge Mine. It’s a memory that has stuck in the hearts of those who knew them.

“The one was an apprentice, he was just filling in trying to get his hours back so he could write for his ticket,” said retired mine worker Tom Rannelli.

“The other three were actually miners. Korpela was a diesel mechanic and the other two were good miners … I do think about it. I’ll take it to my grave to be honest with you.”

It was a sombre Monday morning at Sudbury’s Royal Canadian Legion for the 38th annual Workers’ Memorial Day. Dozens of people gathered to remember those lost and focus on preventing workplace fatalities from happening.

“In 1984 at 10:12 a seismic event happened that killed our four brothers,” said Mine Mill Local 598 president, Eric Boulay. “I’ll ask everybody to stand for a moment of silence.”

Over the years, Workers’ Memorial Day has grown to honour all men and women killed on the job or from workplace related illness.

“We did plan and put together the first Workers’ Memorial Day,” said retired Mine Mill president Rick Grylls.

“It was to remember the workers, to make sure the families realized that we could make the change and that their members were not missing in time, that we would remember them and we wanted to promote health and safety the following year.”

Organizers said it also serves as a reminder of what needs to be done to ensure everyone returns home at the end of the day.

“My daughter lives in Garson," Grylls added.

"She just said yesterday that every time there’s a tremor or rock burst, you think of that event, you think hopefully nobody else is caught.”

Sudbury MPP Jamie West said the event ensures those that have been lost won't ever be forgotten.

“Thirty-eight years later, we’re saying their names,” said West.

“There’s an expression for the day of mourning where you mourn for the dead and fight like hell for the living ... That fight for the living -- that’s the legacy we have for these four men.”