Inquest into miner’s cyanide death begins in Timmins
Inquest into miner’s cyanide death begins in Timmins
An inquest into the death of millwright Denis Millette, 52, at Detour Lake Gold in northern Ontario June 2015 began Monday.
It begins more than seven years after his death by cyanide poisoning that led to charges against the company and several employees.
The death was deemed to be caused by criminal negligence on the part of Detour Lake Gold by having him work around liquid cyanide without proper protective equipment or adequate emergency response.
The first day of the virtual inquest gave jurors a behind-the-scenes look at the site where Millette came into close and long-term contact with toxic cyanide sludge that was leaking out of a machine that separates gold from other materials.
The lead Ministry of Labour investigator who responded to the incident recounted what he discovered at the Detour Lake working area.
He showed never-before-seen photos of the leaking machine, with cyanide sludge still on the ground, as well as where Millette would have been kneeling on the floor for up to 45 minutes at a time as he fixed the leaky machine.
The investigator revealed the mine didn’t require protective equipment that was impermeable to harmful chemicals, and that it was understood in the company's health and safety training that liquid cyanide can absorb through the skin and can be deadly.
Instructions provided by the chemical's supplier also noted that workers should wear protective coveralls, long rubber boots and gloves, chemical goggles and face shields.
As well, the investigator revealed that chemicals were likely leaking on the floor at least a day prior to the incident and had not been cleaned up.
He called the medical team's response to cyanide poisoning inconsistent and inadequate, adding that the team did have two cyanide antidote kits at mine when Millette was exposed to the chemical.
However, they were not given to him after being exposed. The lawyer for the coroner said staff apparently did not realize Millette was suffering from cyanide poisoning.
A health and safety expert testified that deaths by cyanide poisoning are very rare in Ontario, saying it made up only one of 30 mining fatalities between 2010 and 2021.
She testified that if all of the health and safety rules in place at the time were followed, Millette would likely still be alive.
This is the start of what could be at least a seven-day-long inquest, with about 15 witnesses in total set to testify.
It will end with recommendations from the jury about how to ensure a similar incident never occurs again.
Detour Gold has already paid $1.4 million fine, plus more than $750,000 in restitution to Millette's family.
Three employees were also set to go on trial for health and safety charges, following crown appeals. CTV News has been told that case is currently undergoing further appeals.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office has announced that after nearly 24 hours of Liberal attempts to block it from happening, Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford will testify about foreign interference.
A 15-year-old is facing a number of charges, including attempted murder, after two staff members were stabbed at a high school in Bedford, N.S., Monday morning.
A Virginia teacher who was shot and wounded by her 6-year-old student said it has changed her life and she has vivid memories and nightmares about that day.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has just released a new report and its alarming conclusions are a must-read for anyone who cares about what kind of planet we’re going to leave to our kids, writes former NDP Leader Tom Mulcair.
Gwyneth Paltrow's trial is set to begin on Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by a retired optometrist who said that the actor-turned-lifestyle influencer violently crashed into him in 2016 while skiing in Utah at one of the most upscale ski resorts in the United States.
Razak Iyal was given a warm embrace as he officially became a Canadian citizen, more than six years after nearly freezing to death walking across the Canada-United States border in Manitoba.
March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day and to mark the occasion a Canadian organization launched a campaign showcasing older people living with the condition.
Market trends in Simcoe County show an increase in viewings and buyers re-entering the market after key interest rate hikes from the Bank of Canada warded off many last year.
A member of the city of Ottawa's board of health is speaking out about body shaming after receiving a letter that said she shouldn't serve on the board because of her weight.
About 10 people have been displaced and damage is estimated at $1-million after a fire in Aylmer on Monday. John Street in Aylmer, Ont. has reopened in both directions following a fire on Monday night.
An 81-year old property owner tells CTV News he’ll do the work himself without machinery, if that’s the method directed by city council. Three years after John McLeod demolished the historic barn on Halls Mill Road without a permit, a plan to remove the pile of wooden debris is taking shape.
The Old South Community Organization (OSCO) is expressing concern about city staff’s failure to consult with stakeholders before recommending that Thames Pool be decommissioned.
A 31-year-old neuroscientist is believed to be among the six people missing after a massive fire in Old Montreal last week. An Wu was staying at the heritage building on Place d'Youville to attend a conference, according to friends and family.
Rescuers have yet to recover any additional bodies from the wreck of a fire in Old Montreal last week. As of Tuesday morning, there were still six people missing. The body of one victim, a woman, was extracted on Sunday.
Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard is scheduled to table the first budget of the Coalition Avenir Québec's second mandate this afternoon. Girard broke with tradition on Monday — instead of buying new shoes ahead of the budget, he announced a $5,000 donation to a Quebec City community centre.
A 15-year-old is facing a number of charges, including attempted murder, after two staff members were stabbed at a high school in Bedford, N.S., Monday morning.
The president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) is weighing in after two staff members and a student, who is also the suspect, were injured in a stabbing at Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford, N.S., Monday morning.
New Brunswick's finance minister is scheduled to table a provincial budget Tuesday as the government grapples with problems in health care and housing and the effects of a population surge.
Razak Iyal was given a warm embrace as he officially became a Canadian citizen, more than six years after nearly freezing to death walking across the Canada-United States border in Manitoba.
A 15-year-old is facing a number of charges, including attempted murder, after two staff members were stabbed at a high school in Bedford, N.S., Monday morning.
Students and community members will gather in protest outside the Calgary Board of Education Centre Tuesday morning, calling for the removal of the Sir John A. Macdonald name from a northwest junior high school.
A Wheatland County sanctuary that cares for abandoned and surrendered farm animals faces an uncertain future after having a permit application to keep operating denied.
An Edmonton couple working to support first responders' mental health says the last few days have been very trying for local service members and their families.
A woman who lives across from the apartment where a 16-year-old shot and killed two Edmonton police constables has multiple bullet holes in her door, with a couple piercing her doorframe.
After a large fire spread from tents to a shuttered theatre on the city’s Downtown Eastside, Vancouver’s fire chief told reporters she was “incredibly frustrated” that more isn’t being done to prevent daily fires breaking out in the area.
Vancouver council will soon vote on a policy that could slow development in the Broadway Plan, one of the most significant long-term projects underway in the city.
