A funeral was held on Thursday afternoon for one of two men who died last week, after a four-storey building in west London, Ont., partially collapsed.
John Martens, 21, was killed when a building under construction at 555 Teeple terrace partially collapsed just before 12 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11.
The funeral service for Martens was led by Pastor Herman Bueckert and held at the Lighthouse Gospel Church in Port Burwell.
“This afternoon we grieve with the community — today, with you as a family — and we recognize you are saying goodbye to your brother and son way to soon,” Bueckert said.
Bueckert described Martens as someone who had committed himself to his faith and who always had a smile on his face.
“He had the kindest heart, full of joy and love and was always willing to lend a hand,” he said.
“John will be remembered as the cheerful, happy man he was.”
An obituary for Martens described him as a beloved son, boyfriend, loving brother and uncle.
Bueckert said Martens loved being an uncle and taking his nephews out for ice cream.
“He was a hard worker that diligently completed his task and … he brought a lot of laughter and joy for the job.”
Along with the two deaths, several other construction workers were hurt in the structural collapse, with four of them sent to hospital.
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A funeral for the second man to die in the collapse, Henry Harder, was also held at the Lighthouse Gospel Church on Tuesday.
Support continues to pour in for those affected by the tragedy.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by East Elgin Concrete Forming, the company that employed the workers on site during the time of the collapse, has raised more than $145,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
Elsewhere, a post on Facebook offering tribute has garnered hundreds of shares. In the post, Facebook user Denise Roy Kennedy attaches a photo of a construction vest hanging outside their home, with the aim of honouring victims with the gesture.
Meanwhile, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour continues to investigate the incident.
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton told Global News on Monday that while he can’t say when the investigation will be complete, “I can commit and promise to those workers and to the entire community of London and southwestern Ontario that we’re going to get them answers.”
The four-storey building in question was under construction with the intent of opening as a set of luxury apartments in spring or summer of 2021.
In an email to Global News from Nest on Wonderland, the company that owns the building, president Michelle Doornbosch says the company is cooperating with the Ministry of Labour and conducting its own investigation as well.
“We are anxious to provide answers as to the cause of this accident and to this end have worked with our insurer to retain some of the top forensic structural engineers in the country to investigate,” Doornbosch said.
“We will share the results of this investigation once they become available.”
— With files from Andrew Graham, Global News
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