WorkSafeBC begin investigation, RCMP ask for video of collapse

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As investigators get to work determining the cause of Monday's crane collapse that killed five men downtown Kelowna, WorkSafeBC is explaining how they proceed through an investigation.

The Kelowna RCMP said this week it will be leading the initial investigation to ensure nothing criminal occurred, and if that is confirmed, will hand control of the scene over to WorkSafeBC.

Once WorkSafeBC takes control of the investigation, the RCMP will remain active in a supporting role. The Coroner, meanwhile, conducts their own concurrent probe.

"The OHS Investigations Officer will conduct an in-depth investigation of the incident with the purpose of determining the cause and contributing factors, so that similar incidents can be prevented in the future," said WorkSafeBC spokesmen Andy Watson.

Video posted to social media by the crane operator, showing the dismantling process, hours prior to the collapse and the operator's death will be looked at closely by investigators, although WorkSafeBC declined to comment on it specifically.

"It would be inappropriate for us to comment on specifics of an ongoing investigation or what is contained in the video – especially at this early stage of the investigation," Watson said.

Kelowna RCMP Insp. Adam MacIntosh on Tuesday also declined to comment on the video, "that's going to be subject to the WorkSafeBC investigation."

Watson says there is no timeline for how long the investigation will take or when the results will be available.

"The amount of time an investigation takes is directly related to its complexity," Watson says.

Part of that process includes interviewing workers and managers, examine documents or videos before concluding its investigation.

In addition to determining the cause of an incident, the findings of a WorkSafeBC investigation can also result in fines or orders placed upon a company. WorkSafeBC said it is not able to discuss details of an incident with the media while an investigation is underway.

The crane came crashing down during the dismantling process, an incredibly complex task. Webcam images appeared to show the crane boom becoming severely imbalanced on the tower prior to crashing own. A video about the complicated process of dismantling a large tower crane in Edmonton is below.

The Kelowna RCMP is also looking for any video of the crane collapse. If you have video of the incident before, during or immediately following the collapse please send it to [email protected] or the local detachment.