Four people have been killed and dozens more injured after a mid-city train overturned in the Canadian province of British Columbia on Christmas Eve. Police said “extremely cold road conditions” caused the car to crash near the town of Merritt on Saturday.
Temperatures dropped to -3.9C in the region, about 220 kilometers (360) from the regional capital, Victoria.
President David Eby expressed shock and sadness at the news. “Our thoughts are with the victims of the accident, their loved ones, first responders, and medical personnel who are giving everything to treat people and keep them safe,” he said.
Car Crashes
The westbound coach was traveling from Kelowna to Vancouver when it crashed in the Okanagan Junction, part of Highway 97, shortly after 6 pm (0200 GMT Sunday).
- A total of 52 people were sent to the hospital and 36 people needed treatment, according to health officials.
- As of Sunday afternoon local time, eight people are still in the hospital, two of them in serious condition.
The police said that their investigation into the accident, which involved no other vehicle, is ongoing.
All train services between Canada’s two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal, have been canceled on Christmas Day after trains stopped due to bad weather.
