Stunt driver dies filming Deadpool 2 movie in Vancouver

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A stunt actor who died after crashing her motorcycle into the base of a skyscraper, in a sequence being shot for the new Ryan Reynolds Deadpool feature film, has prompted grief and shock from the cast and delivered a rare black mark against the province's multibillion-dollar production sector.

It was the first fatal stunt-related death in B.C. since 1996, according to occupational health and safety organization WorkSafeBC, which has launched an investigation into the Monday morning incident in downtown Vancouver.

According to witnesses, the unidentified stunt performer suffered fatal injuries after she drove her motorcycle into the glass exterior of a skyscraper. The crash occurred near a Starbucks at the Shaw Tower on the city's waterfront beside the luxury Pacific Rim hotel. There were no reported injuries among bystanders or occupants of the coffee shop.

A crumpled motorcycle was seen lying on its side surrounded by broken glass a few metres from the smashed window of the tower. Crew members were distraught and one was in tears.

"She lost control really quickly. It happened in a split second," said Nathan Kramchynski, who works inside the Shaw building and watched the accident from the seventh floor.

He said he had been watching rehearsals of the stunt across the street outside the Vancouver Convention Centre. The stuntwoman had been riding slowly down a set of stairs and stopping when she reached the road, he said.

When it looked like the crew was ready to film the scene, Kramchynski and his co-workers rushed over to the window to watch.

But that time, the driver suddenly picked up speed and crossed the street, he said.

"She kind of weaved through, almost hit a pedestrian," he said.

"She was going full throttle and then there's a building there." In a 911 call obtained by the U.S web site TMZ, someone requests help from emergency services, declaring an "actor" has gone through a window on set, suffering severe injuries. "The actor lost control, went across the street, over a curb and through a glass-paned window into a building across the street," says the person.

Vancouver-born Mr. Reynolds, who is also a producer on Deadpool 2, said in a statement that members of the production are "heartbroken, shocked and devastated," by the incident.

However, he added that they "recognize nothing can come close to the grief and inexplicable pain her family and loved ones must feel at this moment. My heart pours out to them – along with each and every person she touched in this world."

20th Century Fox, which is to release Deadpool 2 next June, said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened" by the accident, but did not respond to a question about whether they will postpone production of the film.

"Our hearts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of our crew member during this difficult time."

Deadpool 2 also stars Josh Brolin. In the original Deadpool and its sequel, Mr. Reynolds plays the title character, an irreverent mercenary superhero from the Marvel Comics library nicknamed the "Merc with a Mouth."

WorkSafeBC, which is investigating the accident with the BC Coroners Service, said it has five officers at the incident scene – two inspecting the site for immediate occupational health and safety issues and three investigating the incident for cause.

The coroners service declined to identify the victim. The death in 1996 also involved a stunt gone wrong. A stunt person equipped with a parachute jumped from a helicopter, but died after his main chute failed to open.

To date, Deadpool 2 has involved massive stunts in the city core. The production recently used several closed blocks of downtown West Hastings Street for the filming of a major vehicle chase involving a massive truck crashing into vehicles, as well as motorcycle, scooter and wire-work stunts.

The filming of the original Deadpool in 2015 required the intermittent closing of the downtown Georgia Viaduct that runs out of the city core for two weeks to film iconic scenes featuring stunts and gun play for what turned out to be a critical and commercial hit. The city touted the economic spinoffs of the production, including an expected 1,100 jobs linked to the production, as well as $37.5-million in direct spending in Metro Vancouver.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, who visited Mr. Reynolds on the set of the first Deadpool feature but has yet to visit the set for the sequel, offered his condolences to the family and friends of the deceased stunt person, and all on set affected by her loss.

"We will continue to support the crew and production as they work to recover emotionally and as they continue their next phase of filming."

Jason Cameron, a business agent with the Union of BC Performers/ACTRA, which represents stunt performers, said Monday's accident is a "shocking and tragic" incident that has left the performing community reeling, but the union cannot comment in detail until authorities have finished their investigation.

While he said stunt work is "inherently dangerous," he noted that the risks are mitigated by rehearsals and careful choreography. "Consider how many movies have fairly complex stunts. That indicates how rare this is."

With a report from The Canadian Press