Crash update

Timmins Police, working with an accident reconstruction expert from the Ontario Provincial Police, say the investigation continues to determine exactly what happened for a few crucial seconds Monday afternoon when a pickup truck on Power Avenue drove up onto the north sidewalk and crashed into two children walking home from school.
Ten-year-old Amelie Guertin of Timmins died from her injuries. She was pronounced dead at Timmins and District Hospital shortly after being brought there. Her nine-year-old companion received head and facial injuries and she too was admitted to hospital. Both girls were students at the nearby Ecole Anicet Morin.
Timmins Police Traffic Sergeant Randall Trebilcock says the 43-year-old driver of the pickup truck was also brought to hospital. According to police he sustained minor injuries.
The truck has been brought to the Timmins police building. That’s where the vehicle will be closely examined to see if there was any mechanical breakdown that may have contributed to the accident.

Crash kills schoolgirl

One child is dead and another is in hospital after a vehicle collided with a couple of schoolchildren near Ecole Anicet Morin in Timmins this afternoon. Timmins Police traffic sergeant Randall Trebilcock confirmed this evening that one child died as the result of the crash on Power Avenue. Witnesses at the scene saw a pickup truck straddling the sidewalk on the north side of the road where it crashed into the schoolyard fence. No further details are available. Timmins Police Service says the investigation continues.

Emergency follow up

An official incident report has been filed with Transport Canada outlining what happened with an the emergency involving an Air Creebec Dash 8 aircraft Tuesday morning, that had just taken off from Timmins headed for the airstrip at the Victor Mine, near Attawapiskat. The report to Transport Canada is as follows:
“The Air Creebec Inc. de Havilland DHC-8 aircraft (operating as CRQ441) was on an IFR flight from Timmins Airport (CYTS) to Victor Mine. The flight crew declared an emergency due to a landing gear problem and requested a return to Timmins Airport at 1120Zulu (07:20 a.m.) Timmins emergency services were notified. The aircraft held until the emergency services arrived and then commenced an approach. The aircraft landed without further incident at 1145Zulu (07:45 a.m.)”
An updated report indicated “after inspecting the aircraft, maintenance staff found that the hydraulic line to the landing gear selector valve failed at the flare.” This initiated a warning light in the cockpit. That prompted the flight crew to request emergency services and return to Timmins.
The update also indicates that inspection of maintenance records for the plane indicated “no maintenance action was completed in this area to indicate that maintenance error was a contributing factor.”The inspection also showed this was the first ever failure on this hydraulic line.

Airport emergency landing

An emergency was declared at the Victor M. Power Airport in Timmins Tuesday when it was reported an Air Creebec Dash 8 was unable to confirm the landing gear was operational.
The pilot radioed in to the Timmins Flight Services Station requesting emergency services be called out.
The Timmins Fire Department and Timmins Ambulance Services responded to the call, which was made at roughly 7:15 Tuesday morning.
Timmins firefighters were told by the 911 dispatcher that the aircraft had “28 passengers, 4000 pounds of fuel and seven ounces of radioactive material on board.”
When contacted by The Timmins Times, Yvan Perreault, Assistant Manager for the airport said “there was no such substance being transported. Not to my knowledge.”
Mike Pintar, Chief of the Timmins Fire Department confirmed that the fire call included the warning that radioactive material was on board the Dash 8.
“The page from the 911 dispatcher to the fire department did make mention of the radioactive material, but we go out there to make sure the plane lands safely, which it did,” he said.
The passenger plane circled overhead for roughly 20 minutes before making a safe landing on runway 03-21.
Passengers were transferred to another aircraft to safely complete the flight to the DeBeers Victor Mine camp near Attawapiskat, according to Perreault.

Restaurant inspections to be public

The Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) has changed its policy and will soon be opening its public health inspection results to the public.
The PHU board of health has decided that serious infractions of public health matters resulting from food inspections will be posted on the PHU website. This will take into account inspections at all restaurants and other establishments where fresh food is prepared and served.
The policy goes into effect on January 1, 2008.
The motion, approved by the board of health on Friday, noted both “the public has shown an increased interest in becoming informed when it comes to food premises inspection,” and that many other health units in the province are now disclosing their enforcement activities.
The health unit is headquartered in Timmins and serves the entire Cochrane District and as well as Hornepayne, in Algoma District. The health unit has branch offices in Cochrane, Hearst, Hornepayne, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Matheson, Moosonee and Smooth Rock Falls.
Earlier this year, Ontario’s privacy commissioner Ann Cavoukian commented there was no reason for health units not to make public health restaurant-inspection records public.

Explosion on Jubilee

Emergency services responded to a an explosion call on Jubilee Avenue today, shortly after 10:00 a.m.. Several residents in that immediate area reported hearing a loud bang. When firefighters arrived, they discovered a heavily damaged recreational trailer in the back yard of a Jubilee residential property. One side of the trailer appeared to have been blown outwards. Paramedics provided first aid for a man at the scene, who appeared to have injuries to his hands. The incident is under investigation.

Spill on the river

A containment boom was floated on the Mattagami River in Timmins today after reports that some sort of oil contaminant was spilled in the river. It happened in the early afternoon. The boom was placed where construction work is going on at the Timmins Water Filtration plant. As yet, there is no word from the city on the nature of the spill or whether it presents any sort of hazard to the public.

Mine Emergency - Fatal accident

Emergency workers rushed out to the Hoyle Pond Mine in Timmins today to respond to a call for a person in distress underground. Reports indicate two miners were working together in a raise when one was hit by loose. Among those responding were Ontario Mine Rescue, Timmins Police, ambulance and firefighters. Paramedics provided medical assistance once the injured person was brought to surface. The ambulance left the mine property at 11:41 a.m. to take the victim to Timmins and District Hospital. No further details have been released.

UPDATE: The Ontario Ministry of Labour confirms that the miner brought to hospital has died of his injuries.

Correction note

In Friday’s paper, The Times incorrectly stated Gilles Bisson was first elected in 1987.
In fact, Bisson was first elected as MPP in 1990.

Street racing suspect loses vehicle for seven days

A Timmins man has lost the use of his vehicle, and all his driving priviliges, for a week, allegedly for racing.
Ontario Provincial Police impounded the vehicle Thursday in what is believed to be the first local enforcement of the tough new law introduced on October 1. Police say a South Porcupine OPP officer had occasion to observe and stop the driver of a Pontiac G5 for allegedly committing the offence of street racing in Timmins.
The alleged offence, that meets the newly enacted and expanded definition of street racing, occurred at approximately 1:00 p.m. Thursday in Mountjoy Twp. The driver was stopped by the OPP officer who has charged the driver with Race A Motor Vehicle contrary to the Highway Traffic Act. The driver’s vehicle has been impounded for a period of seven days. Additionally, the charged person’s drivers licence has been suspended for a period of seven days in the province of Ontario.
Eric Fillion, 22, of Timmins has been issued a Provincial Offence Act Summons requiring him to attend court in Timmins on December 6th, 2007.

Wind damage

The wind is creating some headaches in Timmins today for property owners. A cottage property at Kamiskotia lake had the roof literally peeled back by heavy winds blowing from the lake. In the city, the roof at the Aurora apartment building on Suzanne Street was damaged by the wind as well. Most of the fascia and roof materials were blown off the roof and onto the surrounding grounds. At 11 a.m. winds at the Timmins Airport were reported gusting to 67 KM per hour. The problem of trees falling onto hydro lines has also created power outages in many parts of the city.

Fire on Kirby

Firefighters in Timmins responded to a two-alarm housefire at 268 Kirby Avenue late Tuesday. Fire officials say no one was hurt in the fire, but there is significant damage. Firefighters had the blaze under control quickly in the older neighborhood between Pine and Spruce Streets, where houses are located close together. The cause of the fire has not been released and it is under investigation.

OPP seize 'drug car'

Ontario provincial police have sent a stern warning to any drivers shipping drugs through this part of Northeastern Ontario – when they get caught, the vehicle will be seized.
That was evident today when a tow-truck from Espanola arrived in South Porcupine to collect a vehicle seized in the course of a routine investigation where drugs were found. The vehicle will be held in a government compound until the case goes to court. At that time, it may be returned to the suspect, or it may be forfeited to the crown.
The car, a 1998 Nissan Altima, was stopped by police, on Highway 101 in Ogden Township in Timmins on Sept. 7. After searching the vehicle, police officers found quantities of marijuana, hashish and cocaine along with $7,500 in cash.
Police arrested 20-year-old Steven Guidon-Lebel of Val d’Or and laid charges of drug possession, drug trafficking and breach of probation.
Guidon-Lebel had a court hearing and was released on bail, but police decided to keep the vehicle says Community Services Officer Const. Marc Depatie.
“Officers of the OPP South Porcupine crime unit sought and received a management order from the Ontario Court of Justice, whereby now we are seizing this vehicle up until such time as the matter is before the court,” said Depatie.

Winnebago fire on Preston

A recreational vehicle was destroyed and there was smoke damage to nearby buildings as the the result of a fire on Preston Street in Timmins last night. Firefighters doused the fire quickly. There were no reports of injuries. The cause of the fire has yet to be released and is under investigation.

United Steelworkers Union wants Kidd Miners

The United Steelworkers Union says is has launched a new organizing campaign aimed at the Xstrata Copper Kidd Mine workers.
“We have established ourselves with a drop in centre located across from Northern College in Porcupine,” says United Steelworkers (USW) organizer Myles Sullivan.
“We are inviting all Kidd Creek Mine workers who wish to ask questions or information about the Steelworkers to stop by and visit us,” said Sullivan.
He said the USW has also set up a telephone hotline at 235-1488.
Sullivan says there is a marked difference between what is offered to the Xstrata workers in Sudbury and those in Timmins.
Sullivan says USW also offers expertise in terms of miner health and safety issues.
The Kidd Mine in Timmins has been in operation for 40 years and has never been unionized.
There was an attempt to certify the Kidd Mine workers in the 1990’s but it was not successful.

Gas Leak Evacuates Elementary School

Firefighters were called to the scene at St. Paul's elementary school today shortly before 11 a.m. A gas leak was reported. Students were evacuated from the school while the building was inspected. At roughly 11:15, the students were sent to Queen Elizabeth Public. The school was turned over to Union Gas by 11:30 to further investigate the leak. The cause of the gas leak is unknown at this time.

Timmins firefighters get special training

Did ya hear the one about the firefighter who jumped out the window and slid down the fire hose? It’s no joke.
Firefighters in Timmins are the first in Northern Ontario to learn that as part of the newest and latest lifesaving techniques.
They have been practicing their skills this week at the Northern College fire training building beside Porcupine Lake.
“For the most part, our firefighters key on saving others,” said chief fire training officer Rick Dubeau,
“This is teaching firefighters how to save themselves and how to save their brother firefighters,” he added.
“They’re learning how to exit the building and get down the ladder face first and upside down.”
While the idea of jumping out a window and going down a ladder face first seems like the wrong thing to do, Dubeau says it’s actually the quickest way to leave a building in the event something goes wrong.
Geoff Boisseau, a fire training officer from Toronto, agrees.
“If you watch someone turn around on a ladder it takes a long time, especially if the partner is coming out behind him, so the longer he takes to turn around, the greater peril the partner will be in,” said Boisseau.
Events such as an explosion, a collapsing building, or flames running out of control are the sorts of things that would force a firefighter to escape the obvious danger.
The training involves professional firefighters as well as the students in Northern’s firefighter training program. This week’s training was realistic, so realistic in fact that one firefighter suffered a dislocated shoulder on Monday.
Deputy Chief Joe Stojkiewicz said he is confident the injured firefighter will be fine, but agreed that realistic training is necessary owing to the urgency of the work firefighters are required to do.
Boisseau says the new program is going to be part of the regular training regimen for all fire departments in Ontario.
Dubeau adds that the training involves three elements – learning to stay as safe as possible while fighting a fire, learning how to rescue yourself and learning how to rescue your partner. The training also teaches the firefighters they can use the high strength fire hoses as an escape rope in an emergency.
Dubeau says it’s all about learning to survive with whatever tools you have on hand right now.

City goes $10 million in debt

The City of Timmins is going more than ten million dollars into debt for the first time since the city was declared debt-free in the year 2000.
The city passed a debenture bylaw Monday night to purchase a mortgage-type debenture in the amount of $10.3 million dollars. The city is buying the mortgage from the Ontario Infrastructure Projects Corporation, an Ontario crown agency set up to help municipalities pay for large projects. The money is being used to pay for the new Timmins police building, and the city’s share of the medical office building on Ross Avenue.
The $10.3 million loan has to be paid back over 20 years. The full cost of the payback is $16.6 million, meaning the loan will cost the city $6.3 million.
Mayor Tom Laughren says it’s a good move considering the fact Timmins now has to pay for things it never had to worry about in the 1990’s.
“Well this is probably the first debenture we’ve had since .pre-2000, when we wanted to be debt free,” the mayor told The Times.
Laughren said being debt-free “was a great idea” but he added “nobody had a vision in the early 90s the provincial government and the federal government were going to download so many responsibilities to the municipalities.”
Laughren says the debenture gives the city a favourable interest rate, 5.1 per cent, and allows the city to pay for the projects in a reasonable and timely fashion.
“I think over this term of council you’re going to see a little bit of that only because we’ve been challenged with the police building, we’ve been challenged you know with 20 to 25 million dollars with the water plant, and the medical school which everybody knew at the time was going to be debentured,” he added.
So does this mean the city is going to delve deeper and deeper into debt? Laughren says council will have to be cautious.
“I think we have to be very careful when we look at projects that we don’t we don’t get it in our mind that we’re just going to borrow to pay for these projects,” the mayor said.
“These projects will have to be well planned. I think if you use the police building as an example, there was many partners brought into the police building after the actual original budget presentation.
“There were funding agencies that came on board and that’s a project that comes in under budget, which is very unusual in a government world,” the mayor added.
Laughren says the days of taking the ‘pay-as-you-go’ attitude are not longer reasonable. He says sewer and water plant upgrades in the new few years will demonstrate that. He says if the city is not able to borrow the millions of dollars it needs, “people would be paying for more water, as an example, than they would for taxes.”
“So sometimes we have a little bit of debt,” said the mayor. “I mean we all carry mortgages on our house and we’d all like to be debt-free but it doesn’t always work that way.”

Another airport incident

Another incident at the Timmins Airport saw emergency vehicles scrambling Thursday. An Air Creebec cargo plane inbound for Timmins radioed that it was experiencing hydraulic problems. The Hawker Siddley 748 made a safe landing but it had to be towed to the hangar. The matter is under investigation.

Timmins parade

It was a great day for a parade. Downtown Timmins came alive to the sound of the Timmins Police Pipes and Drums this afternoon as scores of police officers took part in a ceremonial march from the old police building on Algonquin Boulevard to the brand new police building on Spruce Street South. Hundreds of citizens stood on the sidewalks to watch, snap photos, smile and applaud.