Loved ones say the man who was killed in a workplace incident near Fort McMurray on Friday was humble, loving and always had a smile on his face.
“It is with our deepest sorrow that we inform you of the death of our beloved brother, Sagar Patel, in an unfortunate Fort McMurray oilsands workplace accident on Friday morning,” the Fort McMurray Cricket club wrote in a message on Facebook.
The contract worker died at the Suncor Millennium mine, about 25 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, where he was working on excavation activities with the contract company AECON Mining. A spokesperson with Alberta Labour said the man in his 30s was doing trenching work at the time.
READ MORE: Contract worker killed at Suncor site near Fort McMurray
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Teammates said Patel was a member of Fort McMurray Cricket for several years and played for the Royal Strikers.
A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help Patel’s family with funeral expenses. In less than one day, more than $67,000 had been donated and by Tuesday afternoon, that amount had surpassed $83,000.
The fundraising page explains Patel had made Fort McMurray his home.
“This unwanted, unfortunate tragedy… has taken one of the most beautiful souls from this planet,” the page reads.
“Sagar leaves behind a loving wife Unnati, his parents, so many friends and a heartbroken community of Fort McMurray.”
Alberta Occupational Health and Safety is investigating the death.
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