Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 30/02) - A Miramar Con Mine carpenter was killed Monday afternoon after he was crushed between a loader and a pick-up truck.

Fifty-three-year-old Cecil Martin had worked as a full-time carpenter at the mine since 1987. Chief coroner Percy Kinney said Martin was taking tools and wood from the back of a pick-up truck when a loader/fork lift backed into him, pinning him between the two vehicles.

Workers at the site administered first aid before Martin was rushed to Stanton Territorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

"He would have become unresponsive pretty quick -- within a number of seconds I'm sure," said Kinney.

The Coroner's Office has officially declared the cause of death was from massive internal injuries. Kinney said preliminary tests and a toxicology report will be prepared, but the remains will not be sent to Edmonton for autopsy.

"It's a tragic incident," said Con's general manager John Stard.

Stard said the mine and all employees have suffered a terrible loss after Martin's sudden death.

"Certainly there is some stress for sure," he said.

Two Workers' Compensation Board mining inspectors have been investigating the fatal accident since Monday afternoon.