An investigation conducted by a Quebec coroner has shed light on the tragic death of 31-year-old Alexandre Paris, who lost his life in a construction site accident in Blainville on May 20, 2025.
Coroner Steeve Poisson’s report revealed that Paris succumbed to suffocation and mechanical asphyxia due to chest compression when a retaining wall collapsed, burying him as he worked on an underground parking garage project. The coroner ruled the incident as accidental.
Despite a criminal investigation initiated by Blainville police, no charges were pressed in connection with the mishap.
Paris, an employee of a subcontracting company, was working on the construction site when the retaining wall gave way, trapping him around 11 a.m. Firefighters managed to recover his body later that evening, after a complex rescue operation due to the area’s instability.
While two other workers were partially buried in the collapse and survived, several vehicles, a trailer, and tools were also buried under the debris.
Additionally, the CNESST conducted its own investigation and pinpointed various factors contributing to the accident. On the day of the tragedy, the CNESST had ordered work to halt until the contractor obtained an engineer’s certification ensuring the safety of the remaining sections and developed secure work procedures for debris removal and reconstruction.
Coroner Poisson, noting that safety measures had been mandated following the incident, opted not to propose any further recommendations.
