12 taken to hospital after incident during field trip to B.C. waterpark

Twelve children were taken to hospital after what is being described as a “very troubling and upsetting” incident during a field trip to a B.C. waterpark Monday morning.

First responders were called to Cultus Lake Waterpark, near Chilliwack, just after 11 a.m.

Andrew Steunenberg, the park’s chief administrative officer, said the incident appears to have been electrical and that the kids who were hurt were not in the water or on any of the rides at the time.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the victims of this unfortunate accident and their families,” he said, adding that the waterpark will be closed for at least 48 hours for an investigation.

“We are determined to ensure that something like this does not happen within our facility again...“We want to get to the bottom of it and eliminate any future question marks, any future concerns about this.”

Steunenberg deferred questions about the nature and extent of the injuries suffered to police and paramedics, and said more details about what occurred will be provided as the investigation progresses. However, he said information gathered thus far suggests the kids were standing in line and hurt after they “made contact” with a railing.

“We’ve never had an incident ever occur like this before is very unexpected, and it doesn’t align with anything in our safety record up to this point in time,” he said, adding “it’s very troubling and upsetting.”

Local Mounties said they were called to the park around 11:20 a.m., and described the injuries suffered in the incident as serious but not life-threatening.

“Our priority from the outset has been the safety and well-being of those involved. This appears to be an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing risk to the public,” said Cpl. Carmen Kiener of the Upper Fraser Valley RCMP, in a statement.

“At this time, there is no indication that the event was caused by a person, and investigators do not believe it to be the result of deliberate human action.”

The Coquitlam School District confirmed students from Minnekhada Middle School were at Cultus Lake Waterpark when first responders were called to the popular attraction.

“Ten students are being assessed for unspecified injuries, and all are in stable condition. We have no information on the nature of the injuries or the cause at this time,” a spokesperson said in an email to CTV News.

B.C. Emergency Health Services said it dispatched multiple ground ambulances and two air ambulances to the scene, and that a total of 12 people were transported to hospital.

“Two were transported to hospital by air ambulance. Ten other patients were transported to hospital by ground ambulance,” spokesperson Brian Twaites said, in a statement.

BC Hydro confirmed there was an “electrical issue” that prompted utility crews to be dispatched to the scene.

“After an initial investigation, our crews have identified that the electrical issue originated on the customer’s side of the electrical service, rather than within our infrastructure or equipment,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“The safety of the public is our top priority, and we’re continuing to work cooperatively with the waterpark operator and will support the ongoing investigation in any way we can.”

Cultus Lake Waterpark bills itself as the biggest attraction of its kind in B.C. It was closed to the public Monday but offering bookings for school, according to its website.

Monday’s incident comes after a heat wave swept across B.C.’s Lower Mainland, breaking numerous temperature records over the weekend.