A coroner's inquest into the death of Point Edward volunteer firefighter Gary Kendall, seven years ago, is set to begin May 9 in Toronto.
The 51-year-old veteran firefighter died on January 30, 2010 during firefighter cold water rescue training on the St. Clair River.
The regional supervising coroner for the West Region, Dr. Rick Mann, says the inquest will also examine the events surrounding the death of 30-year-old Adam Brunt of Bowmanville. The Durham College fire student died during a similar training session in the Saugeen River east of Walkerton in February 2015.
Dr. Mann says the inquest is expected to last two weeks and hear from as many as 18 witnesses, after which the jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.
Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act charges were laid following the death of Kendall.
The village of Point Edward was fined $75,000 for failing to take precautions to protect a worker while charges against fire chief Doug MacKenzie were withdrawn.
Three of four charges against Herschel Rescue Training Systems, the company that conducted the training, and its owner and trainer, Terry Harrison, were dismissed and the fourth was withdrawn after a six-day trial.
The same company conducted the training in the 2015 incident.
The inquest will be held at the Forensic Services and Coroners Complex, 25 Morton Shulman Ave. in Toronto.
Dr. William J. Lucas will preside as inquest coroner and Michael Blain will serve as counsel to the coroner.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
