37-year-old man killed in workplace incident in Saint John
A 37-year-old man has died after a workplace incident in west Saint John on Thursday afternoon.
Emergency crews were dispatched to a business in the Spruce Lake Industrial Park shortly after 12:30 p.m., according to Saint John police.
"It was alleged that [the] man had sustained injuries while operating a work truck," Staff Sgt. Sean Rocca said Friday.
Employees and first responders provided first aid, he said.
The man was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The victim's name has not been released.
Happened at automotive shop
Rocca declined to divulge the name of the business. But CBC News has confirmed it occurred at Frank's Mobile Repair, an automotive repair shop on Galbraith Place.
A man who answered the company's phone Friday afternoon hung up as soon as a CBC reporter identified herself.
No information about the nature of the incident has been released.
Asked to clarify whether "operating a work truck," means "driving," Rocca said police are not providing any other details "to protect the integrity of the investigation."
No evidence to suggest crime involved
"What I'm prepared to tell you at this point is that at this time in their investigation, there's no evidence to suggest that a criminal offence was involved.
"However they're still at the very preliminary stages of the investigation and we are not ruling out anything until the investigation is totally complete and all the evidence has been collected and analyzed."
The Saint John Police Force's major crime unit and forensic services, the coroner's office and WorkSafeNB are investigating.
Saint John police offered condolences to the victim's family and friends. (CBC)
WorkSafeNB spokesperson Laragh Dooley also declined to provide further details, citing the investigation underway, but did confirm the location of the incident.
"An investigation allows us to better understand the cause of incidents and fatalities and are a key element to preventing similar recurrences," she said in an emailed statement.
"Complex investigations, such as those involving a fatality can take 12 months or more to conclude because the process involves thorough examination of the incident site, witness statements, examination of any machinery or equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE) present, work procedures and whether the injured worker(s) received adequate training and supervision," Dooley said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Saint John police at 1-506-648-3333 or Crime Stoppers.
