Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

HALL BEACH (Jul 27/98) - The community of Hall Beach is reeling with shock after a five-year-old child was crushed to death last week by a water truck.

The accident is the fifth fatality in the North involving a large municipal vehicle in the NWT since 1995.

Steven Oolalak was playing with a friend outside of his home on the afternoon of July 20 when a water truck arrived to fill the water tank. After completing his work, the driver watched Oolalak enter the house and he checked to make sure the other child was safely out of the way.

The driver, whose identity has not been disclosed, proceeded to drive away, unaware that Oololak had come back out of the house and was under the truck.

The child was then struck by the vehicle and died instantly from massive head injuries.

Deputy chief coroner Cathy Menard said the driver, alone in his vehicle at the time, was extremely careful before he drove away.

"He was really cautious and he made sure the other child was out of the way, not realizing that Steven had come back out."

Local RCMP ruled the death accidental and decided not to lay

charges. Neither an autopsy or an inquest will be held. The matter has been turned over to the local coroner for investigation.

Menard said that she was still waiting for the official report -- it could take up to three months -- but that she wanted to hear what recommendations would be made.

The incident has once again raised the question of why water trucks are only required to have one person aboard when having a second worker could prevent accidents.

Menard noted that such a policy was "something to look at."

Terry Brookes, the senior engineer for municipal and community affairs (MACA), said his department also has to wait until it gets a copy of the coroner's report before they can make any recommendations but that he "didn't know of any policy" being developed.

Brookes said that MACA had done many things to prevent accidents, including issuing an educational coloring book in February. He added that the department is also working to ensure that all municipal vehicles have dull surfaces so children would not be drawn closer to them to look at their reflections.

"We can't guarantee that there will be no accidents but we can go a long way to minimizing them."

Communities or parents interested in the coloring book can contact their local hamlet or MACA office.