Conservation officers kill black bear after incident involving 5-year-old near Powell River, B.C.

A sign at the Powell Lake Outdoor Learning Centre is seen in this photo from the centre's website. (outdoorlearningcentre.ca)

The BC Conservation Officer Service says its officers in Powell River have killed a black bear that approached a group of children at a day camp earlier this week.

The incident occurred around noon Tuesday at Powell Lake Outdoor Learning Centre, which said in a Facebook post that it would be temporarily suspending activities due to a "nuisance bear" in the area.

In their own Facebook post, conservation officers said a group of children were playing tag in a field at Haywire Bay, "when a bear came onto the field."

"The bear began approaching children and as they were running away, one child tripped and fell," the post reads. "The bear went on top of the child and was quickly scared away by nearby camp counsellors. The child received minor injuries that did not require medical attention."

The outdoor learning centre stressed in its post that the bear did not attack the child.

"Contrary to other statements, this bear did NOT swipe at or mow down a child at our facility. There was no injury," the centre's post reads.

The BCCOS said its officers responded "immediately" after the incident and conducted a sweep of the area, but did not find any bears.

The camp and the surrounding area, including nearby trails and campgrounds, were closed and signage was installed, conservation officers said.

When officers returned to the site Wednesday morning, a black bear that "matched witness descriptions and began approaching officers" was killed, according to the BCCOS. No other bears were seen.

"The conservation officer service will continue to monitor bear activity in the area," the BCCOS post reads. "The area will remain closed for another 24 hours as officials continue to work."

The learning centre said it has had "no issues" with bears this summer until this week.

"As outdoor educators, we take great care in ensuring that our facilities are managed carefully to mitigate any bear attractants and inform users on how to minimize negative wildlife interactions," the centre's post reads.