Former Co-op grocery store manager Kyle Kaiser is now facing one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a teenage employee suffered severe carbon monoxide poisoning at his part-time job in the meat department.
The incident happened on Oct. 23, 2023, in Canora, Sask., about 235 kilometres northeast of Regina. Then 14-year-old Wil Krotenko was asked to clean an enclosed area of the meat department using a gas pressure washer that was designed for outdoor usage.
The Krotenko family contacted Go Public soon after the incident, upset about how lightly they say the Co-op was taking the incident and the lack of serious consequences after the Occupational Health and Safety investigation.
Just the day before Wil was poisoned, another teen employee went home sick after using the gas pressure washer.
A supervisor was aware of that, according to text messages between that supervisor and the employee that were provided to Go Public.
Wil’s mom Kelly Krotenko said the one criminal charge against Kaiser is a start, but said she believes the store’s owner and the store itself should be facing consequences as well.
“He’s not the only one that should have accountability,” she said.
Go Public asked the store’s owner for comment but hasn’t heard back.
In an emailed statement to Go Public last year, Gateway Co-op said what happened was “a terrible incident that had the potential to be worse,” and that the store resolved to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
At the time, Co-op was ordered to get into compliance with the rules it had broken within 11 weeks, but has faced no fines or other repercussions.
Kelly Krotenko says she feels the Co-op store where her son was working and its owner should be facing consequences as well. (Adam Bent/CBC)
Sean Tucker, a professor of occupational health and safety at the University of Regina, said charges like this are unheard of in Saskatchewan.
“I hope at the end of the day that employers take notice; they take their responsibility seriously. And I hope we never have another case like this again,” he said.
Following the carbon monoxide exposure, Wil was transported to hospital in Canora and then to Alberta for medical care. His mom said he spent hours in a hyperbaric chamber, used in the most serious poisoning cases, so the high levels of carbon monoxide in his blood could be replaced with oxygen.
Kelly said her son continues to suffer serious health problems after the poisoning.
Kaiser has been arrested and released. His next appearance in court is scheduled for Oct. 2 in Canora.