MONTREAL — The boat that got firefighter Pierre Lacroix stuck and drowned under last October should never have traveled this far in the Lachine Rapids area due to the vehicle’s “restrictions” during a sea rescue operation in Montreal.

This is one of the conclusions reached by the Commission on Standards, Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) investigation into the explanation of the accident that claimed the life of firefighter Lacroix.

The two inspectors released their report Thursday morning, which identified three main causes of the overturning of the Montreal Fire Safety Service (SIM) boat, named 1864, when the victim and three of his colleagues tried to help two boaters in distress.

Capsizing is a “combination” of several factors during an approach maneuver to the drifting boat. The Hammerhead model boat was in a trough and a large amount of water flooded the bow. These elements, combined with the firefighters’ positioning at the front of the boat, caused the overturning, according to the two CNESST investigators.

They also note that the turbine engine is not designed for reversing and that the boat’s stability has never been tested for towing.

A report from Radio-Canada’s Enquête program, which aired on Thursday, revealed some problems with this type of boat on the SIM side.. He recently decided to retire his three Hammerheads as a precautionary measure after getting his hands on information from 2008 that cast doubt on those boats.

CNESST reports that the same series of SIM boats were involved in capsizes in 2009 and 2010. The latest incident sparked an internal SIM investigation. This ended with a dozen recommendations that “were not sustainable over time,” recalls Inspector Éric Dupont.

For the CNESST not only the design of the 1864 is to be emphasized. “The boat is a bit like the tree that hides the rest of the forest in the sense that this boat has its limitations and its challenges,” Inspector Danny Lapointe said at a news conference.

But he believes one of the key elements is that the “firefighters should never have found themselves so far, so deep” in the no-navigation zone established by SIM in 2010 in the Lachine Rapids.

“The Hammerhead wasn’t certified for that,” added Mr. Lapointe, describing the crew as experienced.

The investigation report states that on October 17, 2021, the fire department faced a lack of information. The GPS navigation system was not activated to avoid its glare in the evening. However, even if the crew had used the GPS, it did not include the prohibited zone, CNESST says.

The local command post also did not have a location system to guide the firefighters and warn them of the presence of the unmarked area.

CNESST also notes that the crew and Coast Command responders lacked training, leaving them at risk of drowning.

The investigation did not examine whether a different type of boat would have made a difference in this accident.

Fine for Montreal

CNESST announced Thursday it would maintain the ban on all navigation in the unmarked area of ​​the Lachine Rapids following the tragedy, regardless of which boat is used by firefighters. It will remain in force until the SIM has demonstrated that it can ensure the safety of its workers.

CNESST also served a statement of insult on the city of Montreal for endangering the safety of workers. Fines range from $17,680 to $70,727 for a first offense.

The city of Montreal has 30 days to respond to the indictment.

Consistent with the findings of the investigation, the Montreal Firefighters Association criticizes the lack of “firm recommendations on the corrective actions to be taken”.

“Therefore, there is no danger that the safety of our members will change in the short term,” Vice President Richard Lafortune said in a press release, noting that the union had repeatedly called for the Hammerheads to withdraw.

The head of public safety on the city’s executive committee, Alain Vaillancourt, assured that changes had already been made for a year.

“Things were implemented from the event in terms of training methods. The SIM has already acted on certain issues,” Mr Vaillancourt said at a press conference.

The elected official states that the city bought 12 new high-performance boats to replace the Hammerheads.

He also wants to await the recommendations of the public inquiry by coroner Me Géhane Kamel, which is due to start on November 21, before deciding on other measures.

Official opposition at Montreal City Hall regretted the “very few details” on the improvements being made by Valérie Plante’s administration.

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This story was prepared with financial support for the News from Meta Exchanges and The Canadian Press.