National media camera crews remain set up a day after the recovery of two bodies at the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., on Thursday, June 28, 2012, following the collapse of the mall's roof last Saturday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
June 28, 2012 - 11:52 AM
ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. - Premier Dalton McGuinty says the history of the mall in Elliot Lake that partially collapsed will be under "intense review" in the wake of the disaster that claimed two lives.
The premier says he didn't talk to Mayor Rick Hamilton about the history of the mall, which was visited six times in the last three years by the Ministry of Labour.
McGuinty says the results of that review will be made public.
He says the public needs to know whether everything possible was done to save lives or if there was more that could have been done.
Residents say they want accountability after efforts to find survivors in the wreckage ended with the removal of two bodies yesterday.
McGuinty is also offering financial help to the devastated community, which may need to relocate public services that were located in Algo Shopping Centre.
He has said the collapse and its aftermath highlighted the need to review emergency procedures in the province, but declined to expand on what that might entail.
The search had been called off on Monday, only to be reinstated after community members took to the streets in protest and McGuinty intervened directly.
Residents decried the move, which came hours after would-be rescuers had detected signs of life amid the rubble.
Officials said the suspension was never meant to be permanent, adding dangerous conditions within the building would have endangered the 37 crew members tasked with saving any survivors.
Rescuers spent two days sifting through the debris and using sophisticated equipment to try to clear a path to anyone who may have survived when a roof came crashing down through the two-storey building.
In the end, however, the rescue mission that began after disaster struck on Saturday became a recovery operation.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012