Firefighter Pierre Lacroix: the conditions were tumultuous
Portrait of Pierre Lacroix
The two young boaters who ventured on the river on the evening of October 17, 2021 had no navigation experience, according to what has been heard today during the hearings of the Coroner's Office public inquest into the death of firefighter Pierre Lacroix.
This explanation of the shipwreck that claimed the life of Montreal firefighter Pierre Lacroix in the waters of the St. Lawrence, near Lachine, adds to those already established by the Standards, Equity, occupational health and safety (CNESST) in a report published following the tragedy.
No awareness of the danger
According to what TVA Nouvelles revealed, Tommy Yi wanted, with his best friend, Ana Dicu, to launch the boat for a few minutes which he had just recovered in Rawdon in order to resell it to an individual.
So they launched their new boat without having carried out a general mechanical inspection and without having any driving experience for boats of this type.
“At that time, I didn't I was unaware of the danger. I didn't even know there were rapids,” said the young woman during the first day of hearings. It was then that the two friends tried to anchor, without success, seeing that they were heading for the rapids and that they were in trouble.
The coast guard was contacted at this time and intervened by sending the team of firefighters to rescue the two boaters. The Montreal Fire Department (SIM) tried to rescue them by attaching their boat to theirs, but the latter suddenly drifted and capsized, leaving Pierre Lacroix imprisoned, which led to his drowning. His death was confirmed the next morning.
Firefighters confident despite stormy conditions
According to the CNESST report, the SIM crew was qualified as experienced and indicated that trust reigned among the members. According to one of the inspectors, Éric Dupont, neither the crew nor the command post mentioned the possibility of abandoning the intervention despite the unfavorable conditions for rescue.
The public hearings will continue for two weeks at the Joliette courthouse to elucidate the causes that led to the death of firefighter Pierre Lacroix. Coroner Géhane Kamel presides over the public inquiry.
