Based on coverage from The Globe and Mail, The Epoch Times, and Toronto Sun.
Ten youths and two adults were taken to hospital Monday after an apparent electrical incident at Cultus Lake Waterpark in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, a popular spot for end-of-school field trips.
Chilliwack RCMP say all injured people were in stable condition after suffering “serious but non-life-threatening injuries.” The call came in just after 11 a.m., with police giving a more specific response time of about 11:20 a.m. The incident happened near one of the rides, in the queuing area, according to the waterpark.
Cultus Lake Waterpark electrical incident timeline
B.C. Emergency Health Services said it dispatched a major response to the waterpark in the 4100-block of Columbia Valley Road in Chilliwack shortly after 11 a.m. That included multiple ambulances, advanced care paramedics, two air ambulances, and supervisory staff.
BCEHS said paramedics treated 12 patients. Two were flown to hospital by air ambulance, and 10 were transported by ground.
The RCMP said roads into the area were closed so first responders could get in, then reopened around 12:30 p.m.
Conflicting reports on injured children and adults
Early information from police said the injured included 10 children and two adults, totalling 12 people. Later reporting said a dozen children were taken to hospital.
The Coquitlam School District added another layer: spokesperson Ken Hoff said 11 students were being assessed for unspecified injuries and were stable. He also said the incident occurred during a field trip for Grade 6 and 7 students, and later reporting said the majority of those injured were from Port Coquitlam’s Minnekhada Middle School (grades 6 to 8).
Sorting that out, the consistent points across sources are: 12 patients were treated and taken to hospital, injuries were serious but not life-threatening, and many of those affected were students on a school trip.
What witnesses saw at the Fraser Valley waterpark
Eleven-year-old Elias Sgouraditis, who was at the park celebrating the end of Grade 5 with classmates, described hearing a commotion about 3 to 5 metres away and seeing people on the ground receiving CPR. He said police, fire, and ambulances arrived within minutes, followed by two helicopter air ambulances.
Elias said staff closed the slide closest to where it happened, and restricted access to two nearby slides so kids wouldn’t see injured people being carried out on stretchers. He said most of the park continued operating, and when his group left about two hours later, the waterpark was still open.
His mother, Katy Sgouraditis, said she got an email from the school saying none of their students were hurt, but questioned why the park appeared to keep running after an incident that sent children to hospital.
Separate confirmation came from Stein Valley Nlakapamux School’s principal, who said his school had a group at the waterpark at the time, but their students and staff were not involved.
Investigations by WorkSafeBC and Technical Safety B.C.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Carmen Kiener said initial findings suggest the incident was not caused by a “deliberate action by a person.” The investigation has been handed to WorkSafeBC, with police support.
Technical Safety B.C., which oversees safety compliance around electrical systems, said safety officers were dispatched to conduct a thorough assessment.
BC Hydro said its initial investigation found the electrical issue originated on the customer’s side of the electrical service, not from the utility’s infrastructure or equipment.
Waterpark closure and community response in Port Coquitlam
Cultus Lake Waterpark posted that it would close for the next few days (and elsewhere described a 48-hour closure) to conduct a “thorough and independent investigation,” and said it is co-operating with authorities.
Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West said the city was ready to support affected families and thanked first responders and staff who provided care.
For families across B.C., the immediate questions are the obvious ones: what exactly caused the electrical incident in the line-up area, and what changes will be required before the park welcomes school groups back during peak field-trip season.
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