Posted on 01/24/2014 2:56:15 AM PST by rickmichaels
SHERBROOKE, Que. — Pulling his ex-girlfriend's body from the rubble in Lac-Megantic, Que., led a young fireman to commit suicide, a coroner has ruled.
The report, issued this week, follows widespread warnings about the toll that Canada's deadliest railway explosion has taken on support staff.
The 25-year-old firefighter, whose name was redacted from the report, was one of the first responders to the train derailment and explosion on July 6.
Forty-seven people died in the town near Quebec's border with Maine.
Coroner Robert Giguere's report said the young man had only begun working as an apprentice firefighter 10 days earlier.
The report said the young firefighter was good friends with many who died.
A few days after the explosion, he "pulled his ex-girlfriend from the rubble," the coroner wrote.
Following the gruesome discovery, his relationship with his current girlfriend deteriorated and the fireman moved back in with his parents, said the report.
On October 29, a friend found the man's body in a home. There were no signs of violence.
In November, the victim's father made a public appeal for suicidal people in Lac-Megantic to seek help rather than end their lives.
"I know that firefighters are all affected," he said. "But this doesn't have to happen. This isn't the solution."
He said mourning, followed by recovery, is the right way to deal with the tragedy.
The local health agency in Lac-Megantic said it's increased resources available to survivors of the train blast.
Another Keystone casualty.
Some people don’t get over losing the ones they love.
RIP.
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