Placer miner dies after vehicle rolls
A 41-year-old placer miner was killed last Friday when the bulldozer he was driving rolled over after he lost control on a stretch of ice in the Dawson City area.
A 41-year-old placer miner was killed last Friday when the bulldozer he was driving rolled over after he lost control on a stretch of ice in the Dawson City area.
The miner has been identified as Richard Matthew Cull, a seasonal heavy equipment operator at placer mine sites, says a news release issued Tuesday by chief coroner Heather Jones.
The Yukon Coroner’s Service, Dawson City RCMP and Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board’s occupational health and safety branch were notified of the fatality shortly after 12:45 p.m. last Friday.
The mishap occurred at Stuart Placer Ltd., near Black Hill Creek, approximately 73 kilometres from Dawson.
Cull lost control of the D-10N Caterpillar bulldozer while he was traversing a patch of ice on the Black Hills Creek Road as he travelled toward the camp.
The vehicle slid off the road onto a steep embankment and rolled completely over, the coroner’s office reported.
It continued to travel, now in reverse, approximately 76 metres, sliding down a second embankment and travelling another 137 metres before coming to a stop.
Cull was found deceased in the cab of vehicle where it had come to a stop.
The various agencies are continuing their investigation.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Cull and the placer mining community,” the coroner’s office said.
Comments (9)
Up 6 Down 3
Northerner on Apr 29, 2021 at 7:22 pm
What??!! I am speechless, but I must ask:
What has it come to when someone sends condolences, and it gets thumbs down?
Up 22 Down 1
Dawna on Apr 29, 2021 at 5:23 pm
Reading some of these comments was incredibly hard. Red was a bright light in this valley and wherever he went throughout his travels. Hard working and happy, he loved his family and friends fiercely and gave us joy and laughter every day with his witty sense of humour and zest for life. Those who know Red are richer for it, he showed kindness for everyone, a work ethic above and beyond and his enthusiasm for life was contagious. A few of the traits I will think of when I think of Red. All our heartfelt thoughts and love go out to his kids, family and friends who are truly devastated by the loss of this man.
We love you Red, we know you are watching over us, cracking a cold one and waiting for the bonfire and stories to begin. Cheers to you.
Stuart Placer’s Crew and family.
Up 11 Down 8
JSM on Apr 29, 2021 at 11:27 am
Wow, telling how little you folk care about the sanctity of life.
Sad to be putting down a dead man. Shame on you.
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Life is not a Whitehorse office job on Apr 28, 2021 at 6:22 pm
@Wes and @Yukoner32
Your criticism of JSM is unjustified. We live in a society full of riches and technological marvels because of the sacrifices of men like Red. Men who do the dirty work, men who do the hard work, men who do the dangerous work, men who work in environmental extremes.
The idea that only soldiers and firefighters are heroes is ludicrous on its face. Your negative commentary belittles the enormous sacrifices of men like Red, who died doing work that large portions of society refuse to do.
Go look in a mirror and see if you have what it takes to do the kind of work that Red did for a living. I dare you to be honest with yourselves. I'll bet you don't measure up.
Hats off to Red. My condolences to his family.
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Wes on Apr 28, 2021 at 8:34 am
JSM wrote on Apr 27, 2021 at 3:19 pm
"It's great sacrifices like this that allow us to live comfortably. It is awful, awful news, men like this are the true heroes. May he rest in peace."
What? It's a terrible accident obviously, but how does his "sacrifice" allow us to live comfortably? He was gold mining. Don't equate an industrial accident to the sacrifices made by soldiers during war time.
Up 25 Down 4
Oya on Apr 28, 2021 at 8:27 am
Condolences to the family and to the crew he was working with. So young. So sad.
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Yukoner32 on Apr 27, 2021 at 9:43 pm
@JSM
It's a tragedy for sure. But what are you talking about these "great sacrifices" and a true hero?
You are speaking like he was a soldier fighting in a war or a fire fighter running into a burning building. Let's not get carried away here.
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Rod on Apr 27, 2021 at 4:31 pm
Sad to hear this and my condolences.
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JSM on Apr 27, 2021 at 3:19 pm
It's great sacrifices like this that allow us to live comfortably. It is awful, awful news, men like this are the true heroes. May he rest in peace.