Manitoba Wildfire Service member dies after being injured on the job, province confirms

A member of Manitoba's Wildfire Service has died after he was critically injured on the job Monday, the province has confirmed.

A provincial spokesperson says a workplace safety and health investigation was started after the firefighter was injured. The man died of his injuries the next day, the spokesperson confirmed.

Because the accident occurred on the job and an investigation is underway, the spokesperson declined to provide further details.

However, the Thompson Professional Firefighters Association, which represents firefighters in the northern city, said in a social media post on Monday that the deceased firefighter was from The Pas area, and suffered his injuries in an ATV accident while on the job.

The province says the wildfire service has reached out to man's family and co-workers to offer support and condolences.

Happened during a training exercise: Forrest

Alex Forrest, the president of the Manitoba Professional Firefighters Association and of the Manitoba Fallen Firefighters Foundation, said the man was injured during a training exercise.

"Our job is so dangerous that it basically doesn't matter if you're fighting an actual fire or you're training, you're going to put yourself at risk," he said in an interview on Tuesday.

Forrest says it's a sombre time for those who work in the profession in the province.

"This is a tragedy not only for the firefighters across Manitoba and Canada, but this is a tragedy for all the citizens of Manitoba, because this individual had basically given his life for his jurisdiction."

On Wednesday, RCMP said they were investigating an ATV rollover on Grace Lake Road in The Pas.

The 23-year-old man from northern town had been working in the area when the ATV rolled on Monday afternoon, Mounties said in a news release. He was transported to hospital, where he died of his injuries.

RCMP say the man was wearing a hard hat, but not a helmet, and investigators believe speed was a factor in the collision.

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