Killed construction worker identified as crane work paused at Oakridge site

The investigation into the tragic death last week of a construction worker at the site of the future Oakridge Park shopping centre in Vancouver is ongoing, according to officials, but new information is being shared on the woman’s identity.

An online fundraiser has identified the victim killed at the site on Cambie Street and 41 Avenue on February 21 as Yuridia Flores, a mother of two who was originally from Mexico.

The GoFundMe notes that she died after the crane’s load came crashing down, and money raised will go towards bringing her body home to Acapulco, Guerrero. As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser has nearly tripled its goal of $30,000.

“My family and I are very devastated, she was a mother of two, leaving behind a [16-year-old] son. Yuridia Flores was a lovely daughter, sister, mother, and wife. We are looking for any support to help raise to transport our mother to her natal city of Acapulco Guerrero. We are very grateful for everyone’s generosity and support,” the post written by Diego Flores reads in part.

WorkSafeBC says it is actively working to understand the cause so a similar incident never happens again.

“Any worker death is tragic, and we send our thoughts and our deepest condolences to the family, co-workers, and friends of this worker,” a spokesperson told Daily Hive.

one of the tables at the top fell all the way to the ground, it crashed a couple floors as well, unfortunately hit a lady at the bottom.
don’t know if it was the crane that dropped it or if it was not properly attached at the top. pic.twitter.com/byfgRJqdMe

— caleeeb (@EricApango) February 21, 2024

This is the third crane-related incident in the province in recent weeks and comes following ongoing safety concerns following the deadly summer of 2021 when six people died in two unrelated crane incidents in BC.

“At this point, preliminary evidence indicates that there are minimal, if any, similarities among the three incidents or the equipment involved. However, the three incidents demonstrate that workplace safety can never be taken for granted, and while each of the three recent incidents appear to be unique, employers are reminded of the need to be vigilant in ensuring the maintenance of their equipment and the safe working procedures of their staff,” WorkSafeBC said.

The agency added that at this time, crane work at the site has been ordered to stop, and construction of that site has also been partially shut down pending the investigation. There are about 1,700 workers employed for that site, and it’s unclear how long this work stoppage will go on.

You might also like:
• Fatal construction crane incident at Oakridge mall development site
• Crane collapse at Surrey construction site prompts WorkSafeBC investigation
• Crane incident leads to Burnaby road closure that could last hours

“Over the latest five-year period (2019 to 2023), there have been 22 incidents involving tower cranes in BC, including a catastrophic failure in Kelowna in 2021 that claimed the lives of five workers,” WorkSafeBC said.

The major first phase of the Oakridge Centre redevelopment is scheduled for Spring 2025, and Daily Hive has reached out to the project’s main contraction contractor, EllisDon, for comment.

With files from Amir Ali and Kenneth Chan