To the Editor,
Heads must roll over the massive rescue screw-ups at the Elliot Lake, Ont., shopping centre disaster.
When a mall collapses on people Saturday, and at least one person is heard tapping for help Sunday and Monday, you do not call off the search. You do not say it’s now a ‘recovery’ operation.
How excruciatingly painful it must have been for the husband and father of the woman who was likely still alive at that time.
While no one wants rescuers injured or killed sifting through debris, structural engineers and rescue officials should have been flown in from across Ontario and Canada immediately to assess the situation and see what other ways of rescue could be found.
Until grassroots public pressure increased, it looked as if government officials or politicians did not care to step in.
I commend the everyday folk of Elliot Lake who shouted and threatened to storm the mall and offered to search themselves.
Militaries around the world adhere to a code of never leaving one of their own behind.
This should hold true for any Canadian citizen. Governments should be there to help us.
Kevan Shaw
Nanaimo