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.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks beat Oilers 5-4 in comeback to take Game 1
The Vancouver Canucks won the first game of their NHL playoffs series with the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 on Wednesday night coming back from a three-goal deficit.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.