A fund has been set up to assist families of two men killed in a tragic industrial accident in New Westminster in January.
Guiming Chen, a 65-year-old New Westminster man, and Yun Zhao Yang, a 60-year-old Surrey resident, were killed when they were crushed by a load of lumber at the United Gateway Logistics Inc. yard in Queensborough.
“We are starting to raise some funds for the families. It will be split 50/50 between the two families,” said Coun. Chuck Puchmayr. “We are probably going to work with some other organizations to see if we can get some gift certificates.”
Puchmayr, who helped set up an account at Community Savings Credit Union for the victims’ families, said the deaths have created a real hardship for the families. Donations to the Pacific Reload Tragedy account can be made at Community Savings Credit Union branches in the Lower Mainland, including a branch at 1188 Eighth Ave., New Westminster.
“You can make a donation to help these families who are really in dire straits,” he said. “The one family that the mother lost her 60-year-old husband, … the son has had to quit his job because his mother is so distraught.”
Puchmayr said a New Westminster woman had invited her parents to come to Canada for a better life.
“He didn’t want to be a burden, he took this job,” he said of the woman’s father. “He was only working for two months when he was killed on the jobsite and lost his Chinese pension the day he died. So it’s a real hardship.”
Along with the bank account, donations are also being accepted through the Go Fund Me account - A Pacific Reload Tragedy Fund. To contribute go to www.gofundme.com.
WorkSafe B.C., the B.C. Coroners Service and New Westminster Police are investigating the accident that occurred on the afternoon of Jan. 23 at 201 Duncan St.
