Kyle Sinclair died in 'freak accident' at CFB Petawawa
Craftsman Kyle Sinclair died after a "freak accident" while doing routine mechanical work on an armoured vehicle at Garrison Petawawa, CBC News learned Sunday.
His section commander told CBC News Sinclair, 27, was working on the armoured vehicle, called Coyote, in a building hangar when a "very rare, freak accident" happened. There was not an explosion and nothing fell on Sinclair, the section commander added.
Other soldiers, who are trained in CPR, rushed to help him but were unable to regain a pulse, DND confirmed. Sinclair died in hospital late Friday night.
The section commander said a private parade would be held on Monday in Sinclair's honour.
Sinclair, who was a member of the 2 Service Battalion, was on a training program with The Royal Canadian Dragoons at the time of the incident. He was also a vehicle technician training with the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers Regiment, a DND spokesperson said.
According to Canadian Forces spokesman Lt. Jean-Francois Carpentier, Sinclair joined the military in 2012 and arrived at the Petawawa, Ont., base in July. According to Sinclair's Facebook page, he was from Barrie, Ont.
Lt.-Col. Carla Harding, Commanding Officer of 2 Service Battalion, also made a brief statement regarding Sinclair's death on Sunday. She said Sinclair was found unconscious and transferred to the Pembroke General Hospital where he was revived.
He was then transferred to The Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus in critical condition and later died from his injuries, Harding added.
Sinclair died 'surrounded by family and friends'
Sinclair died "surrounded by family and friends moments before midnight," Commander of the Canadian Army Lt.-Gen. Marquis Hainse said in a written statement.
"This incident is another painful reminder of the sacrifice that our brave men and women in uniform face daily in the defence of our nation’s freedoms and liberties, both at home and abroad," Harper said in his own statement on Saturday.
Defence Minister Rob Nicholson called it a "tragic event." His department said it will not release any further information about the circumstances of the incident because the matter is under investigation.
Earlier Saturday, Nicholson mistakenly said Sinclair died on Thursday.
