Grieving N.S. father demands answers after learning details of son’s death through media

Father wants change in way information released The father of a boy killed in a trailer fire says he learned of his son's death from a media report. Eilish Bonang reports.

AMHERST, N.S. — A grieving father is demanding answers and change, after he learned new information about the camper fire that killed his son through the media, rather than police.

It’s been nearly two months since a family of six from Amherst, N.S., lost their lives in a tragic trailer fire. For Tyler Allen, it’s been two months of grief.

Allen’s four-year-old son Jaxson Robertson was one of six people who died in a camper fire in Millvale, N.S. on Sept. 12, along with Jaxson’s mother Michelle Robertson, siblings Madison, Ryder and C.J., and their father R.J. Sears.

“Jaxson saved my life in a lot of ways,” says Allen. “Losing my best friend, my buddy that I had those chats with every day … now I don’t have that, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be me again.”

The family was found inside their travel trailer in Millvale, N.S., all having succumbed to toxic fumes created by a small fire.

Allen said he recently learned new information about his son’s death through the media, before being notified by police, something that he believes should never happen.

A recent news article included details of how a lack of smoke detectors contributed to the deaths – information Allen says he learned through social media, and not from officials.

“To some people it seems small, but it’s really not when you sit down and think about it,” says Allen.

After reading the article, Allen called the fire marshal’s office, wondering why the information was given to members of the media before family.

Nova Scotia’s acting fire marshal Doug MacKenzie says the published information was gathered through a Freedom of Information request.

“I understand how he feels, and I can’t imagine the tragedy that he’s experiencing, and I’d just like to apologize,” says MacKenzie. “This should have been handled a little bit better, and I can promise him in the future, it shall be.”

MacKenzie says a member of the family had been informed of the investigation results, but that investigators didn’t have contact information for Allen specifically.

“The RCMP had it. My local MLA had it. Anyone who’s involved in this had it, so to me, I feel like there could have been a little bit more,” says Allen.

Cumberland North MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin says she’s reached out to John Lohr, minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office and Military Relations, which includes the fire marshal’s office.

“I’m certainly going to be asking them for an explanation, and ensuring that whatever process they took needs to be fixed so this never happens again to another family. And honestly, the family deserves an apology,” says Smith-McCrossin.

Allen says he plans to push the issue in honour of Jaxson, to ensure no family has to experience the same shock and heartbreak he says he’s experienced from receiving information this way.