Plumbing company, friends remember man who died in Calgary trench collapse tragedy | 24CA News
The man who was killed on the job this week in Calgary is being remembered as a sort and beneficiant individual.
Bobby Jimerson met Liam Johnston 14 years in the past. They met whereas in Grade 7 in Waterloo, Ont.
“He was a special individual. Liam had a very specific personality that drew you towards him. He was a generous person and person you wanted to be around,” Jimerson mentioned on Saturday.
Johnston died whereas working in a residential neighbourhood in northwest Calgary on Thursday.
Emergency crews have been referred to as to the 2600 block of thirty fourth Avenue N.W., locally of Charleswood, at round 10:45 a.m. after the ditch collapsed.
Global News was advised {that a} physique of a 27-year-old man was discovered at round 8 p.m.
The battalion chief mentioned that there was no trench field in place initially, so crews needed to place one earlier than they may safely enter the ditch.
According to a fireplace division spokesperson, one individual was within the trench making sewer repairs alongside an alleyway when one of many sides of the ditch collapsed.
The Calgary Fire Department tech rescue staff was deployed, in addition to an excavator and hydro vac.
Emily Gofton had been relationship Johnston since December. The two had met whereas working for Mr. Mike’s Plumbing.
“He was an incredibly kind, compassionate person. He gives everything for everybody. It doesn’t matter if you knew him from one meeting or if you knew him his whole life. He was always going to be there for you and give everything he has,” Gofton mentioned.
Gofton recalled the second she acquired the news about what had occurred on Thursday.
“I got a call shortly after the emergency responders were called and I was on site as they were arriving. I was terrified and I was hoping by the time I got there he would already be out. As time was going on I was hoping this was a nightmare that I was going to wake up from,” Gofton mentioned.
“It was something he was fearful of. It was something he talked about — the possibility of this happening.”
Gofton mentioned Johnston had labored at Mr. Mike’s Plumbing since August 2021
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“We really want everyone who has information to come forward. It is so important that everybody involved is held accountable,” Gofton mentioned
In an announcement supplied to Global News, Mr. Mike’s Plumbing mentioned that the corporate sends its condolences to all who knew Johnston, and that security is its high precedence.
“Mr. Mike’s Plumbing Ltd. is deeply saddened to report the passing of one of our employees, who died while performing excavation work at a jobsite on Thursday, June 8. He was an upstanding individual and a valued member of our excavation team who will be sorely missed,” the corporate mentioned.
“We are working closely with the authorities to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident and to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent such accidents from happening in the future.”
The firm mentioned it will chorus from additional remark whereas the Occupational Health and Safety investigation is underway.
Jimerson mentioned his good friend knew easy methods to make individuals chuckle.
“Liam was a kind of individuals you thank God for coming throughout as a result of he was so uncommon. It didn’t matter how a lot or how little he had. He was keen to offer you something to ensure you had sufficient. He would sacrifice something or every thing to make different individuals blissful. He was a brother to me and he at all times checked in on me. We lived collectively for lots of years.
“Liam always went out of his way to make sure I was OK. He was such a special amazing individual and I thank God every day that I got to meet him,” Jimerson mentioned.
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