'Experienced crew' had done same work before: Forbes Bros. waits for report on tower deaths

The company that employed two men killed during a tower collapse in eastern Newfoundland on June 19 says the pair were part of an experienced team that had done the same type of work before.

However, Forbes Bros. is still not ready to release a report on what led to the deaths of Jared Moffatand Timothy McLean.

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In a statement Tuesday, the company said external investigators, including engineers, are still at the accident site.

Moffat, 34, from Prince Albert,Sask.and McLean, 31, from Nipignon, Ont., were working on a new transmission line connecting the western Avalon Peninsula to the Bay d'Espoir generating station when the accident happened.

"The investigation has determined that the team working on the tower at the time of the accident was an experienced crew and had worked together on this type of task before," said Matthew Forbes, senior vice president of the company.

"Also, it is known that they had completed this same common process successfully on two occasions on the same tower immediately preceding the accident."

Tuesday's statement did not specify what common process Frobes was referring to.

Work on the towers has been halted since the deaths. The company said it is developing a return-to-work plan with NL Hydro, "in a way that safeguards our employees, our partnersand the viability of the project."

About 580 of the 10-tonne steel towers are being erected in a project that will continue until October.