OPPThe Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has completed a detailed and thorough investigation resulting in criminal charges in connection with the death of a Matheson resident at a mining operation near Cochrane, Ontario.

Officers from the James Bay OPP Detachment Crime Unit, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) Detective Staff Sergeant Rob LAKE, conducted a death investigation in accordance with the Ontario Coroner’s Act, while working closely with the Centre of Forensic Sciences, the Northeast Region Coroner’s Office and the Ministry of Labour.

On June 3, 2015, a Detour Lake Mine employee — Denis MILLETTE, aged 52 years — was repairing equipment at the mine.  During this time, the employee was observed to be in medical distress and was attended to by on-site medical staff. The employee subsequently died. The investigation of the circumstances leading to the death of the worker determined the cause of death to be acute cyanide intoxication.

Charged with Criminal Negligence Causing Death is Ontario Corporation 1909583 (operating as Detour Gold Corporation) of Toronto.  The first appearance has been scheduled for May 10, 2016 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cochrane.

The investigation is ongoing.  Anyone with further information should immediately contact the Ontario Provincial Police Criminal Investigation Branch at 1-888-310-1122 or their nearest police authority.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

Detour Gold President and CEO Paul Martin has since released a statement to the charges.

“We have and will continue to cooperate fully with both the Ontario Provincial Police and Ministry of Labour throughout their investigations and are taking these charges very seriously,” he said, “We now need to obtain the information on which the charges have been brought in order to be in a position to comment further. In the meantime, we would like to express our sincere condolences to the family.”