Alec Caldwell
The Toronto ‘crane girl’: Risking others’ lives for Facebook likes?
Canadian ContractorOne false move by the brave firefighter who rescued her, and he could have died
Many of you in this industry would have seen the news reports of a 23-year-old woman being rescued from a downtown Toronto crane, high over a construction site at Church and Wellesley April 26 (more details).
Not only did Marisa Lazo endanger her own life, but she also put the lives of others at risk, too, during the rescue.
One of her friends, speaking to the media after her initial April 27 court appearance (six counts of criminal mischief), said that the woman was a “risk taker.” He spoke admiringly of her, it seems to us. Pathetic!
Lazo’s Facebook page shows her in various high-risk positions on the edge of tall buildings, a bridge, and other precipices. So it’s not the first time she has endangered others’ lives. If she fell from her other adventurous perches, she could have landed on another human being – even a child.
What decent human being puts other people’s lives willingly and knowingly in danger for the thrill of publicity or social-media “likes”?
Still, if she’s eventually found to be mentally ill, we need to be compassionate. If she isn’t, she needs to be most severely dealt with.
The question is, how did she manage to get onto this construction worksite undetected?
Were there barriers erected to stop her entering this work site? What other deterrents were there to stop her from climbing this crane?
Under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, the public must be protected at all times while work continues on all construction worksites. Unfortunately this includes this stupid person. Maybe they’ll now be a review of that site’s security.
Constructors are responsible to protect the public, even those homeowners who are determined to climb onto their main residences roofs, while contractors are up there re shingle. What about vehicles parked on roadways and there are no warning pylons out, warning those distracted drivers passing, who might even be texting. Guess we’re responsible for these crazies as well. What do you say?
CARAHS are approved Ontario Ministry of Labour Working at Heights Trainers. Info here Toll free 1 866 366 2930
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Should’ve left her up there. When’s the last time anyone’s seen a cat skeleton up in a tree? Same with people. You find your way up, you can find your way down.
I’m with you on that Wyandotte, I’d have left her there all day. Pity it was not 30 below and then she might have time to realize why her rear end (arse) was being welded to the boom.
Unfortunately society asks us to be above those who do stupid things. We have to rescue those who are totally stupid, like this woman. We have to put others lives at risk
I have no time for fools and she certaily is one foolish individual. I beleive she needed to pay a price and a $500 bail does not give hwr any deterent. I would have thrown away the cell key.
They need to make an example of this woman. Fine her big time and make her put in community hours going to school telling kids how stupid she is. The rescue was not a big deal (once you water down the typical Fireman hero monument building media opportunity). The real risk victim was the construction company / crane company. Because if she fell, Work Safe and all the brain dead government Monday morning quarterback entities would have made them responsible. We all know that signs, several fences, and full time security are still no defense against stupid, and the regulatory bodies and lawyers always follow the money.
Hi Justa Sayin,
Fools were tied to stocks in the town squares for all to see at one time in history. Embaressment was their punishment. Where’s todays punishment. A $500 bial. Would the re introductuon of stocks be seen now as unfare and barbaric.
Social media sites like Facebook, give people like crane girl a place to strut her stuff and many there will praise her.
Glad to know she was spotted climbing the security fence and the site had video to see her. What more can sites do to protect themselves.
Its hard to protect against nut cases.