Clayton Park construction victim's parents seek answers
CBC News | Posted: November 14, 2013 10:04 AM | Last Updated: November 14, 2013
Wally and Patti Fraser hope to prevent another tragedy after death of son Alan
The parents of a 21-year-old Lower Sackville man who fell to his death at a Clayton Park construction site last week are desperate to learn the details of what happened and help prevent another tragedy.
Wally and Patti Fraser say they have lingering questions about whether their only son, Alan Fraser, had proper training for the job, and if he was wearing a harness. They suspect he had neither.
“Alan doesn’t have a voice. So it’s up to us to find out those answers,” Wally Fraser told CBC News.
The parents say they’ve been told by police that Fraser was alone on the top floor of the building under construction.
He was apparently using a wheelbarrow to dump debris over the side. Wally Fraser said one officer told them it appears Fraser tripped and flipped over the wheelbarrow bars. He fell six storeys to his death.
Wally Fraser said his son's hard hat was found near the wheelbarrow.
His mother and father are now struggling with the death of a young man who packed a lot into his life. Fraser was fan of medieval history, loved the outdoors, and was athletic.
“Absolutely no fear of heights. It’s ironic that’s what ended up killing him,” Wally Fraser said.
The tragedy prompted the labour department to order Parkland Construction Inc. to stop work immediately on the site.
But work has started again, now that safety railings have been installed.
There are two orders still in effect: the department of labour says the company must communicate safety information and rules to its workers and clean-up tripping hazards.
Last month, another young man was injured at the job site and some workers were subsequently trained in fall protection.
But the department of labour isn't saying whether Fraser got that training, or if he had a harness that could have saved his life.
It also says the investigation could take two years.