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Truck driver dies near Wolverine mine

A Whitehorse man has died after his truck of ore went over an embankment near Wolverine mine.

A Whitehorse man has died after his truck of ore went over an embankment near Wolverine mine.

Pierre Tremblay, 46, was killed last Wednesday while driving towards Watson Lake on the Wolverine mine access road.

Ross River RCMP say the loaded transport truck was travelling the mine road when it went over the side of a steep embankment. He died at the scene.

Richard Mostyn with the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board said the crash was called in some time before 7 p.m. by another trucker who was hauling ore.

Mostyn could not say whether the second driver witnessed the crash or came upon it after the fact.

Federal officials with Transport Canada have taken the lead in the investigation into what caused the crash, since the trucking company in question works in multiple jurisdictions, he said.

Calls to the federal government were not returned in time for today’s deadline.

Crystal Zhang, a spokesperson for Yukon Zinc Corporation, which owns Wolverine mine, said the truck contained bagged copper concentrate.

The man was not a Wolverine employee; he worked for the trucking company hired to transport the goods, she said.

Zhang could not say how much ore was in the truck at the time of the crash. She did say it was less than a full load, thanks to restrictions in place on the Robert Campbell Highway.

The 26-kilometre-long access road connects the mine site to the highway. Mostyn said the crash happened near Kilometre 14. RCMP say alcohol is not believed to be a factor in this case and no other vehicle was involved.