Quebec's workplace safety board reported that the lack of training and equipment led to the deaths of two firefighters during a flood last May in a community northeast of Quebec City.
The volunteer firefighters were using an amphibious vehicle with tracks and an outboard motor to try to reach residents of a house surrounded by floodwaters in St-Urbain, Que.
The board stated that the strong current of the swollen Gouffre River caused the vehicle to veer off course and hit a tree, causing the men to be thrown into the river.
According to the report, using the vehicle in a flooded field was not appropriate.
It was also found that the operation lacked proper planning and that the firefighters did not have the necessary skills, knowledge, or equipment to carry out the rescue.
The victims were identified last year as 23-year-old Christopher Lavoie and 55-year-old Regis Lavoie, who were not related.
