An extensive investigation is now underway at a Suncor worksite in northern Alberta after a large male black bear attacked and killed a female employee.
Friends have identified the deceased as 36-year-old Lorna Weafer.
At about 2 p.m. at Suncor’s main base located 25 km north of Fort McMurray, Weafer was doing some electrical work on the site when she was attacked by the animal.
A union official says the victim was dragged away as up to seven other employees looked on. They said that it's likely that no one was carrying bear spray at the time of the attack.
Police say they were called to the North Steepbank Mine but when they got there, the woman was already dead.
The officers found the bear soon after and, finding it to be extremely aggressive, they shot it dead.
The area on the worksite has been shut down for the time being, but a stop work order has not been put in place so far.
Fish and Wildlife officers along with authorities from Occupational Health and Safety are on site.
The investigation could take weeks or even months to complete.
Meanwhile, Suncor has extended their condolences to the family and friends Weafer.
“This is an absolutely tragic event,” Suncor spokesperson Sneh Seetal told CTV Edmonton. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families.”
Seetal said Suncor is working with authorities to investigate the incident and determine how the attack occurred. She added that the company does offer wildlife training to its employees, including how to alert others of any bear sightings.
Barrie Harrison with Alberta Occupational Health and Safety, says companies are required to have procedures in place to assess and handle any possible hazards. He said that in the years he's been with Occupational Health and Safety, he's not aware of any other bear attacks on workers.
“Part of the job we'll be doing and working with Suncor (to) determine what sort of procedures are in place and whether there was anything possibly that could have been done to avoid this from happening,” Harrison said.
Investigators will be tracking the bear’s prior movements to determine if it had any run-ins with humans before. They’ll also figure out if the bear was tagged.
(With files from CTVNews.ca)
