The Ministry of Labour continued its investigation Wednesday into the "pancake collapse" of a home under renovation in Toronto's Bedford Park neighbourhood yesterday afternoon.
The collapse killed a 19-year-old construction worker, and temporarily trapped two other men under the rubble. One of those men was able to escape on his own accord, while the other injured worker was taken to hospital after emergency crews dug a trench through the debris to reach him.
The Ministry of Labour revealed today that the man sent to hospital was not a construction worker, but had been on scene assisting the renovation project. The man's exact role in the work remains unclear.
The construction project was undertaken by Euro Group Ltd., a contractor owned by Tony Cruz, of Mississauga. CBC was unable to contact Cruz on Wednesday.
'How could this happen?'
An investigation by the Ministry of Labour is ongoing at the site as officials try to determine exactly what caused the collapse.
Other contractors working in the area gathered periodically at the scene on Wednesday, many theorizing about the likely cause among themselves.
Chris Powell, a contractor with 25 years of experience, said that incidents like the collapse "are everybody's nightmare."
"This is constantly what you are trying to protect against. They must have been digging away at the centre of the house, at the beam or the posts that are supporting the beam, for it to implode like that," he reflected, adding that his 22-year-old son works with him.
According to Powell, experience contractors should have been aware of the dangers of working around the home's main beam, which is essential for the structural integrity of any residential home.
“How? How? How could this possibly happen?”
A neighbour told CBC News the home's owners have been staying in a rental property throughout the duration of the renovations, and were not there at the time of the collapse.
A small memorial for the killed worker began to take shape at the site as neighbours who were evacuated yesterday began returning home.
The Ministry of Labour says the investigation will likely take several days to complete.