TORONTO — An inquest into the deaths of two Ontario men who lost their lives during firefighter training exercises five years apart is set to begin today.
Thirty-year-old Adam Brunt, a firefighting student from Clarington, Ont., died in February 2015 after getting trapped under the ice during a rescue exercise.
His death came five years after a similar incident near Sarnia claimed the life of Gary Kendall, a volunteer firefighter.
Their deaths brought scrutiny on private training course for firefighters, which aren’t mandatory or regulated.
The Ontario government vowed two years ago to look into regulating the private safety training industry.
The inquest, which takes place in Toronto, will examine the events surrounding Brunt and Kendall’s deaths and may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.
It is expected to last two weeks and to hear from 15 to 18 witnesses.
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