Why report into fatal crane collapse won't be made public yet

WorkSafeBC’s investigation report into the Kelowna crane collapse that killed five people almost two years ago, will not be made public yet.

The document is complete, and has been shared with the RCMP, but WorkSafeBC said it would not release it publicly at this time, to ensure it does not jeopardize the ongoing and concurrent criminal investigation.

The families of the victims, along with the construction industry, are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the investigation, but WorkSafeBC said Tuesday it had made its decision in consultation with the RCMP.

As part of the statement, the provincial agency dedicated to promoting safe and healthy workplaces across B.C. said while their report is not being released, over the last 22 months, it had continued to incorporate key learnings about tower crane assembly, disassembly, or repositioning into its ongoing crane safety initiatives.

On July 12, 2021, a tower crane working on a building under construction on St. Paul Street, collapsed killing five people: workers Cailen Vilness, Jared Zook, brothers Patrick and Eric Stemmer, and Brad Zawislak who was killed when the crane fell on an adjacent building.

The primary purpose of WorkSafeBC’s investigation has been to identify the cause of the incident, and any contributing factors, so that similar incidents can be prevented from happening in the future.

The Kelowna RCMP Serious Crime Unit continues to actively investigate the collapse of a crane in downtown Kelowna on July 12, 2021.

The criminal investigation is independent and separate from the regulatory investigation conducted by WorkSafeBC, and focuses only on determining if any criminal elements are present.

The criminal investigation into this incident is extensive and complex, and as such, it is anticipated that this investigation will remain ongoing for an extended period.

Among some of the complexities of this case, police are working through thousands of pieces of evidence and seized documentation, and consulting with our partners nationally.

RCMP have said their complex investigation is running alongside one being done by WorkSafeBC and have given no timeline for the conclusion.

In a joint statement the two agencies expressed their thoughts and empathy for those who have been impacted by the incident …as well as members of the public who want answers.