Lila Fifi is on a mission to seek justice for her late husband, David Fifi, who tragically passed away while working at the Vale Nickel Mine. She believes that David's death was not due to natural causes as stated by the Office of the Chief Coroner of Manitoba, but rather a result of being exposed to toxic gases and chemicals at his workplace.
In a compelling 47-page letter titled "The Pursuit of Justice for David Fifi," Lila Fifi presented stacked evidence to Premier Wab Kinew, calling for a Public Inquiry into her husband's death. The letter was also sent to various government officials, media outlets, and organizational leaders to shed light on the circumstances surrounding David's passing.
In reaching out to Vale on the matter, a spokesperson from Vale Base Metals expressed the extra effort in workers safety, and that in the midst of a dangerous environment safety is maintained as their top priority;
“At Vale Base Metals, life matters most, and our first priority is ensuring that everyone working on our site goes home safe, every day. Our policies require that all employees and contractors on site wear proper personal protective equipment, and follow strict procedures for their safety in every task they undertake.”
According to Lila, David, a dedicated father of three, exhibited symptoms of illness prior to his passing, including chills, coughing, and flu-like symptoms. On the day of his death, he experienced severe respiratory distress, struggling for every breath after being exposed to toxic chemicals released through leaking and rotting flue lines at the workplace.
On Feb 2009, the autopsy report attributed death to natural causes by myocardial infarction due to coronary artery thrombosis.
“I wrote 1,500 Freedom Of Information (FIPPA) to the Manitoba Government,” Said Lila “When I got some of the answers back from the FIPPA Applications it showed that they did an investigation but then it stopped because they concluded it with natural death. We found out later that the whole investigation and all that paperwork stayed in Thompson. It wasn’t even included in the corners report”
In this report were 4 damning statements from co workers of David's crew that they were gassed 3 x a day for 6 days in a row and were all ill.
Evidence now supports that David was poisoned to Death and that he did not die of a Natural Heart Attack as noted by the Office of the Chief Coroner of Manitoba.
Lila's evidence points to a pattern of negligence and non-compliance with regulations by Vale Inco, exposing workers to a range of hazardous substances including SO2, H2S, Nickel, Chlorine, arsenic, lead, sulfur dioxide, and other toxic heavy metals and gases. Workers were not adequately protected, with inadequate respiratory equipment and a lack of monitoring for chemical levels in the workplace.
In memos from FIPPA it was discovered that the province does not have the ability to test below certain levels of exposures. If the province of MB does not have the appropriate equipment in our labs, why not reach out to the USA or invest in the proper equipment.
The circumstances surrounding David Fifi's death raise serious concerns about workplace safety and the protection of workers from toxic exposure. Lila Fifi's relentless pursuit of justice not only seeks accountability for her husband's passing but also aims to ensure the safety of current and future workers in similar environments.
There are four ways that a substance can enter the body: through inhalation, absorption through the skin, ingestion, and injection. Inhalation is the most common way for chemicals in the form of vapors, gases, mists, or particulates to enter the body.
Both half-mask and full-face respirators only provide escape protection for H2S. To protect against H2S, a supplied air system, such as a Scott Air Pack, is needed.
The half-mask respirator does not protect against carbon monoxide and only provides escape protection from H2S. Workers were worried that the masks were not suitable for protecting against certain lethal toxic heavy metals, noxious gases, fugitive emissions, and nuisance dust.
Wearing a half mask was required on the job site, but full-face respirators provide greater protection because they cover the eyes. Despite this, all the workers wore half masks.
“They should have worn full-face air purifying respirators equipped with appropriate gas/vapour cartridges.. Why was there no control over the dust that was all over the place and never cleaned up? That stuff is toxic and dangerous.”
As this story continues to unfold, it brings to light the importance of thorough investigations into workplace incidents and the need for stringent safety measures to protect workers from hazardous conditions.
“This is about fixing a broken system. What about the Hospitals? How long has the Thompson Hospital had people come in affected, and they don’t have anything set up to test for this. And they’re not even signing these guys off as being gassed”
The government was not transparent. Federal Canada is in charge of Mines, but the provinces take care of Mines. Through years of writing Fippa requests to the MB Government, responses indicated that they did not have the information I was seeking.
Recently I have written to Federal - Environment and Climate Change and they have the test results that Manitoba sent to them in safe keeping. This strategy has wasted years of my time, because I have written numerous times looking for this information. I was intentionally put at a disadvantage withholding critical information from me. The Manitoba Government was in total control.
This case is worse than the Westray Mine disaster in Nova Scotia where the employer was held accountable.
Lila Fifi’s relentless pursuit not only aims to bring closure for her family but also strives to ensure the protection of current and future workers. The evidence she has gathered highlights the urgent need for thorough investigations into workplace incidents and the implementation of stringent safety measures. As this story continues to unfold, it serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of negligence and the pressing need for reform to safeguard the well-being of workers everywhere
