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Mall inquiry sees collapse video, hears 911 calls

August 7, 2013, Elliot Lake, Ont. – The second phase of the inquiry into the deadly mall collapse in Elliot Lake, Ont., began this morning with the screening of surveillance video in the minutes before and after the roof caved in.

Then calls to 911 were played.

Commissioner Paul Belanger warned participants that some of the material could be upsetting.

Some relatives of the victims chose to leave the inquiry room when the video and recordings were played.

Eye witnesses then testified about how the roof collapse occurred without any warning.

Some testified about still having nightmares about the tragedy.

Part 2 of the inquiry is dealing with the emergency response to the tragedy.

Many residents were angry when the search for survivors was called off hours after signs of life were apparently detected in the rubble.

It took four days before the bodies of the two victims – Lucie Aylwin, 37, and Doloris Perizzolo, 74 – were recovered.

Their relatives, along with eye witnesses to the collapse, are expected on the stand over the next two days.

The first part of the inquiry – which looked into what led to the collapse – ended July 30, with the last of about 70 witnesses testifying.

Among other witnesses expected to testify in the coming weeks are local and provincial emergency responders as well as government officials.

Part 1 of the inquiry, which began hearing evidence in March, has heard how the mall, badly  designed and built, leaked from the start. Successive owners did little to address the problem substantively.

Ultimately, rust due to decades of salt and water penetration weakened a weld, leading a steel support to give way June 23, 2012.

The commission is hoping to issue its final report and recommendations around February of next year.