Inquest into death of Lumby teen postponed

VERNON – New information concerning an industrial accident at the Tolko mill in Lavington last year has forced the B.C. Coroners Service to postpone the inquest into the death Bradley Haslam.

The inquest was scheduled to start on March 31 at the Vernon courthouse.

It has been postponed to allow for a 'full and fair review' of recently received additional material concerning the incident in which Haslam died, according to a media release from the Coroners Service.

The service isn’t saying what additional material was received.

Haslam, 18, was killed on June 15, 2013 while working the night shift at the Tolko planer mill in Lavington. He was caught in a conveyor belt.

A WorkSafe B.C. inspection report said there weren’t sufficient guards in place to prevent workers from contacting the machinery.

The community of Lumby was devastated by the young man’s loss. He had just graduated from high school.

A new date for the inquest will be set as soon as is practical.

To contact the reporter for this story, email chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230.