The company responsible for managing the Grande Roue de Montréal has been the target of numerous criticisms on social networks for several days. Internet users denounce his long silence after the death of one of his employees in a work accident on December 25.
The victim’s name is Riley Valcin. He was 22 years old and was studying civil engineering at Polytechnique Montreal.
A representative of the public relations firm hired by the Grande Roue de Montréal confirmed the young man’s death on Sunday. Riley Valcin was clearing the snow from the Old Montreal facility at the time of the accident.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, on December 26, the Big Wheel posted a notice on its Instagram account indicating the closure of the attraction.
“Please note that La Grande Roue de Montréal is closed until further notice. We will let you know when the attraction reopens, ”reads the post.
Since then, hundreds of Internet users have criticized the Big Wheel for not sharing with the community the circumstances which led to the closure of the merry-go-round. The latter had however been relayed in the media as well as the identity of the victim.
It was only 48 hours later, after strong pressure from Internet users, that the Big Wheel expressed its sorrow and condolences to the victim’s family.
However, for Internet users, the silence will have been too long and the accident too serious. In their eyes, it took two days to “humanize” Riley Valcin.
A fundraising campaign GoFundMe was also started by her best friend Roberto Rivera-Rubino, in support of the family. As of this writing, $ 36,000 in donations have been raised in less than a day.
“We have known each other and have shared our lives for 15 years now. Riley was more than a friend, he was a brother, ”writes his best friend. Riley leaves behind bereaved parents, a brother, friends and hundreds more.
The accident is under investigation
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) has indicated that the investigation has been transferred to the Commission des normes, de l’énergie, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) since it concerns an accident at work.
Those responsible for the installation refuse to reveal what happened while “awaiting the results of the investigation,” said the firm hired by the Big Wheel. It is also a decision of the Grande Roue de Montréal and not a directive from the CNESST or the police, confirmed spokesperson Mathieu Filion.
Mr. Bégin added that “the Big Wheel will not be accessible as long as the employer does not submit a safer snow removal procedure”.
In the meantime, CNESST inspectors are continuing their investigation.
With The Canadian Press