The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
Greater Sudbury Police Service has completed its investigation into the June 8, 2011, deaths of two men at Vale’s Stobie Mine, and the results are in the hands of officials with the Crown attorney’s office in Sudbury.
At this point, no determination has been made on whether criminal charges will be laid in the deaths of Jason Chenier, 35, and Jordan Fram, 26, said Greater Sudbury deputy police chief Al Lekun.
Police conducted a joint investigation with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, which this week announced nine charges against Vale and six against one of its supervisors under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. First appearances on those provincial charges are set for Aug. 14.
Lekun said police conducted a coroner’s investigation, which is mandatory in workplace deaths such as these. Chenier and Fram were overcome by a run or 350 tons of muck while working at the 3,000- foot level of Stobie Mine.
Vale and the supervisor were charged by the ministry for failing to take reasonable precautions to ensure the workers’ safety, especially given the dangers posed by excess water that was flooding into the mine.
The police investigation looks at any aspects of criminality relating to such deaths, said Lekun.
There is a process in which the Crown acts as counsel for the police service “and provides us with the confidential information in relation to and their opinion in relation to the evidence before it,” said the deputy chief.
Meanwhile, United Steelworkers Local 6500 is calling for Ontario Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey to order a public inquiry into mining safety and to review if the Occupational Health and Safety Act is adequately protecting workers in the mining industry.
More than 10,000 Sudbury and area residents have joined a postcard campaign launched by United Steelworkers to press Jeffrey to order the inquiry.
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