IRONWORKER Lucien Lessard, now 96, still remembers falling from the bridge on June 17, 1958.

Lessard was working on the bridgedeck when the Second Narrows bridge (now known as the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge) collapsed on June 17, 1958.

“The bridge came out from underneath our feet and I was just following the locomotive from the deck down to the water. When I hit the water, I don’t really exactly remember. I was running out of air,” said Lessard. “When I came out of the water, I was lost. I was stunned. I saw some debris floating. I managed to float until a boat fished me out.”

Lessard dealt with a number of serious injuries, but with 19 workers dying in the incident, he felt lucky to survive. He eventually returned to complete the project.

“I had a broken leg, a broken arm and plenty of bruises. They put me in the back of a pickup and took me to North Vancouver hospital. I spent three or four months there.”

Now, 67 years later, Lessard continues to remember that day and honour the lives that were lost at the annual Ironworkers Bridge Memorial event, organized by Ironworkers Local 97.

The event will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, June 17 at New Brighton Park in Vancouver. Proceedings will begin at 1 p.m. B.C. Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside will be in attendance at the event and will share remarks in remembrance.

Ironworkers Local 97 business manager Doug Parton said it’s important for today’s ironworkers, and all tradespeople, to remember these kinds of workplace disasters.

“This isn’t just about remembering a tragic day. It’s about showing respect for the people who lost their lives building this bridge and making sure we never forget the cost of cutting corners on safety,” said Parton. “Every year, we come back to this site to honour them, and to remind ourselves why the work we do has to be done right.”