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BC  

Fernie deaths probe

UPDATE: 7:38 p.m.

Emergency crews gained access to part of an arena in Fernie, B.C., on Wednesday more than 24 hours after three workers died following an ammonia leak while emergency maintenance was being done on refrigeration equipment.

Fire Chief Ted Ruiter said the west side of the building was determined to be safe. The city said earlier fire and emergency services were working with a specialized hazardous material team to contain the leak inside the building.

The three men who died were not identified in order to respect the wishes of their families. The city said two of the men were municipal employees while the company that employed the third man said he worked out of their Calgary branch.

A state of emergency remained in effect and fire Chief Ted Ruiter said plans were being made for people who would have to stay out of their homes for another night.

- with files from The Canadian Press.


UPDATE: 3:50 p.m.

RCMP investigators have yet to enter the arena in Fernie where three people died from a suspected ammonia leak on Tuesday.

The police say they are working with City of Fernie, its fire department, WorkSafe BC, the BC Coroners Service and ministry officials in preparation for the entry into Fernie Memorial Arena. A hazardous materials team from Calgary is also involved.

"RCMP investigators will commence a scene examination and investigation into Tuesday’s fatal workplace incident once it is deemed safe to enter the scene," said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk, RCMP spokesperson, in a press release.

"Fernie RCMP investigators and RCMP forensic ident examiners will initiate the scene examination and investigation in order to make the determination of whether the matter is criminal in nature."

For information and updates regarding the status of the evacuation for affected residents or persons who may need assistance as a result of the tragedy, please consult with the City of Fernie and information phone line at 1-855-346-2188. 


ORIGINAL: 11:48 a.m. 

Three people who died after a suspected ammonia leak were doing maintenance work on ice-making equipment at an arena in Fernie, says the city's mayor.

Mayor Mary Giuliano said Wednesday the city is not identifying those who died in order to respect the wishes of their families, but described two of them as local residents and the third as an out-of-town contractor.

A state of emergency remained in effect following the leak, which was first reported at the Fernie Memorial Arena on Tuesday.

"Fernie is a tight-knit community, and I know we'll pull together to support one another as we have in the past," Giuliano told a news conference. "Sadly, we lost three people yesterday, two of whom were part of the City of Fernie family."

About 60 people living near the arena have been asked to leave the area as a precautionary measure.

On Facebook, the city said Tuesday the arena was closed for "emergency maintenance" before it confirmed later in the day that there had been three fatalities.

Fire Chief Ted Ruiter said crews responded shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday to reports of an ammonia leak at the arena and arrived to find someone performing CPR on a person.

Crews then entered the facility and found two other victims, he said. After performing an "interior search," Ruiter said they had to leave the building for safety reasons.

As of Wednesday morning, officials were working on a plan to safely enter the building, he said.

The mayor, fire chief and an RCMP sergeant would not answer questions at the news conference, citing a request from police.

WorkSafeBC, the B.C. Environment Ministry, the Interior Health Authority and a hazardous materials team from Calgary were on scene Wednesday.

Sgt. Trevor Tribes said RCMP still had to conduct a scene investigation and interviews before it can be determined whether anything criminal contributed to the incident.

Giuliano said the accident has devastated her East Kootenay community.

"We are a small town and everybody knows everyone and there is a lot of wondering who it is that we might know, so it is affecting everybody," she said.

– The Canadian Press



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