Norske Skog tragedy fuels desire to speak out and help others

Noeline Bridge said while two people passed away after being overcome with gas at the mill in 2018, three people died that day.

Ben Pascall passed away on the day of the incident, on May 24, and Lyndon Quinlivan succumbed to his injuries the following day.

Their supervisor, Davern Neall, took his life the day after Mr Quinlivan's funeral.

Mr Neall had earlier told Mr Pascall's mother at his funeral "I'm so sorry for what I've done".

Ms Bridge said her partner of 20 years had been in a fog in the two weeks after the incident, unable to function and blaming himself for what he thought he had done.

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Mr Neall, who had only recently returned to work on light duties due to kidney cancer, sent Mr Pascall up to the top of a leaking tank to examine it, which led to him being overcome.

Mr Quinlivan and Tom Johnson also climbed up to check the leak, and also lost consciousness.

Ms Bridge said her partner was just a normal bloke, never depressed, and was making the most of the pair's "perfect little life" before the incident.

"He would tell me his job was to look after me at home and at work his job was to look after his boys," she said of Mr Pascall and Mr Quinlivan.

"We only learnt later that they idolised each other.

"They'd get home after work and talk about each other.

"We only learnt that after talking to their families after the incident."

Ms Bridge said the workplace incident had had a long reaching impact on people in Albury-Wodonga.

Nearly everyone, she said, knows someone who worked there.

Mr Neall had worked with Mr Quinlivan's dad.

The late men's loved ones have formed relationships following the incident, united in their shared grief.

Mr Bridge said she was breaking her public silence on her partner's death in the hopes of assisting others, and wanted to speak out ahead of the Winter Solstice event in Albury next month.

She plans to attend in memory of her partner, whom she met in high school and started dating after being reunited at their school reunion.

"This is not a story of 'woe is me'," she said from the Lavington home she shared with Mr Neall.

"I want to get out there and help people."

She believes more intensive support directly in the aftermath of such tragedies is needed.

Mr Neall was given some support but it was too little, too late.

A forensic psychologist told her after Mr Neall's death he had been the first person on her list of people to call.

"When this happened, it changed him," Ms Bridge said.

"He couldn't do anything, he could not see past what he thought he'd done, he would just break down at the drop of a hat.

"It consumed him.

"I would come home from work and he would be looking out the window.

"He was just in a fog."

Ms Bridge said it showed what could happen to normal people facing traumatic incidents, and said it was vital men sought support.

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