Quebec’s chief coroner, Me Pascale Descary, on Wednesday ordered a public inquiry into the two volunteer firefighters who died after falling into the water following the overflow of the Gouffre River in Charlevoix last month.
Me Descary has appointed coroner Andrée Kronström to preside over this inquest, which will attempt to shed light on the cause and circumstances of the death of Christopher Lavoie, 23, and Régis Lavoie, 55.
The two men had been reported missing on May 1 while trying to provide assistance to citizens of Saint-Urbain, not far from the Gouffre River, which had emerged from its bed.
Their bodies were found two days later about 500 meters apart in the river.
During the hearings of the public inquiry, any person of interest will be able to come and speak about the circumstances of these deaths in order to analyze all the contributing factors, explains the Coroner’s Office in a press release. The survey also aims to suggest possible solutions for better protection of human life.
The Coroner’s Office also points out that Me Kronström’s work will not aim to establish the civil or criminal liability of a person.
More details surrounding the public inquiry, including the dates of the hearings, will be known later. The prosecutor who will assist Me Kronström throughout the process will be named soon, specifies the Office of the coroner.
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