All charges withdrawn against Stelco after 2 workers died from burns at Nanticoke, Ont., plant

Samantha Beattie · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 11, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

The provincial Crown has withdrawn each charges against Stelco, after two workers suffered severe burns they aboriginal died from. 

All but 1 Ministry of Labour complaint was besides withdrawn against John Kenyon Ltd., the expanse metallic contractor and leader of Gabriel Cabral, 32, and Sean MacPherson, 56, who were severely injured connected April 25, 2023 astatine the Stelco Lake Erie Works works successful Nanticoke. 

At the Ontario Court of Justice successful Cayuga past week, John Kenyon alternatively pleaded blameworthy to 1 number of failing to instrumentality each tenable precaution to support a worker. It was ordered to wage a $250,000 good and 25 per cent unfortunate good surcharge, said the Ministry of Labour. 

John Kenyon and Stelco did not respond to CBC Hamilton's petition for comment. 

Cabral's mother, Pam Fraser, said earlier this year, she was shocked to larn the Crown wasn't pursuing each the charges done a trial.

While excruciating to beryllium through, a proceedings would've meant Fraser heard grounds and grounds that would've helped her recognize how 70 per cent of her son's assemblage sustained severe burns portion connected the job.

"I privation assurance this is not going to hap to different idiosyncratic oregon household again" Fraser said, speaking to CBC Hamilton connected Friday — a fewer days aft the tribunal lawsuit concluded.

"I americium conscionable truthful angry. My lad died successful vain." 

Died weeks aboriginal successful hospital

Cabral and MacPherson were burned by steam portion repairing alloy cladding connected a quench tower, a operation utilized for cooling blistery coke successful the steelmaking process, their families antecedently told CBC Hamilton. 

John Kenyon and Stelco had each initially faced 4 charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act including failing to supply information, acquisition and supervision to workers.

Among those withdrawn, John Kenyon had been charged with failing to supply equipment, materials and protective devices to support workers from blistery steam, and Stelco with failing to person an exigency halt instrumentality connected the mogul/quench car. 

The Ministry of Labour said it could not remark connected the Crown seeking a condemnation connected lone 1 complaint due to the fact that the substance was decided by the court. 

In the hours aft the incident, Cabral was successful captious information and airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital successful Toronto, said Fraser. He had sustained 3rd and 4th grade burns connected astir of his body, including connected his look and lungs, was successful a coma and connected beingness support. 

Over the adjacent 3 weeks, his information worsened, Fraser said. The tips of his fingers would request to beryllium chopped off, doctors told her, and helium whitethorn not beryllium capable to spot again. He died connected May 16, 2023 from his injuries. 

"My beauteous lad was gone," Fraser wrote successful her unfortunate interaction connection work successful court. "The feeling was surreal. It was over, but the fearfulness of what had happened inactive remains." 

Cabral's decease has devastated his 2 brothers, partner, and ample radical of friends, said Fraser. She is nary longer able to enactment full-time and experiences trouble sleeping, panic attacks, nightmares, regret and guilt. 

"The symptom helium indispensable person been successful astatine the infinitesimal of his mishap — I relive the nightmare," Fraser said. 

MacPherson was besides hospitalized astatine Sunnybrook's captious attraction pain unit for respective months, but died in November 2023. His obituary said helium would beryllium "deeply missed" by his galore relatives and friends.