A Squamish family already grappling with a medical emergency involving their young son is counting its blessings after a terrifying close call in Regina that was caught on camera. Security video shows Claire Johnstone stepping into her family’s vehicle outside a downtown Regina hotel Tuesday afternoon. Seconds later, scaffolding and debris crashed onto the street from more than 10 storeys above, striking the area where she had been standing moments earlier. “There is no way it was that close! It was crazy,” Johnstone said. While Johnstone and her family escaped unharmed, police said two men were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators believe the incident was a workplace accident. The near miss has left a lasting impact on Johnstone. “I haven’t slept the last two nights. I don’t sleep a lot these days but the last two nights have been a lot of worst-case scenarios, what if’s, what we avoided and how things could have been very different,” she said. In the aftermath of the collapse, twisted metal, construction materials and broken tree branches littered the street. Part of the fallen scaffolding was left lodged in a nearby tree as emergency crews secured the scene. For the Johnstone family, the incident was a frightening interruption to an already stressful day. They had been heading to the emergency room to seek treatment for their son when the scaffolding collapsed. “I fed him and he immediately projectile vomited bile and he was very lethargic and I was like OK, we’re going to the ER,” Johnstone said. The family says their son’s condition has since improved, bringing some relief after an emotional few days. “He is doing so much better and we are all good. It could have been very, very different. We’re extremely grateful and feeling very lucky because that was the closest call I ever want to have in my life,” she said. Occupational Health and Safety officials are investigating what caused the collapse. CTV News reached out to the construction company involved but did not receive a response before deadline.
