Hampstead victims’ names released

We now know the names of the men killed Monday in that horrific crash northwest of Kitchener.

Those names included the van’s driver, David Armando Hernandez Blances, 45, of New Hamburg. Provincial police say he ran a stop sign on Line 47, driving the van into the path of the flatbed truck that had the right of way. The flatbed t-boned the van, sending it skidding into a nearby farm.

The OPP also say the driver of the van did not have the proper class of license to be operating the van, which could carry up to 15 people. 10 of the deceased have been named as Peruvian nationals who were here as migrant workers.

The accident has prompted concerns about the extended vans like the one transporting the workers. Ontario’s government has vowed to investigate to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.

One of those who died was Chris Fulton, 38, of London. he was driving the truck that smashed into the van that was carrying the migrant workers. Police say he died while trying to avoid the van.

Reports say Fulton called his wife 15 minutes before the crash saying he would be home in an hour. He was also celebrating his 11th wedding anniversary.

Two workers’ rights groups have set up a fund to help assist the families of the farm workers. UFCW Canada and the Agriculture Workers Alliance say donations to the Migrant Workers Family Support Fund can be made through Paypal or at any bank.

The account is set up at TD Canada Trust, transit 1864, account 5221618.

A special memorial Facebook page has also been set up, called the Hampstead Tragedy Memorial Page.

Video: Melissa Raftis reports: