 At least three people are dead and two dozen injured after an avalanche in Revelstoke, B.C. (MIKE DREW/QMI Agency file photo)
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At least three people were killed and 24 injured Saturday when an avalanche swept down Boulder Mountain near Revelstoke, B.C., during an annual snowmobiling event.
Hundreds of people from B.C., Alberta and Washington State were watching the Big Iron Shootout — some 400 km west of Calgary — when the slide struck about 3:30 p.m. local time.
A large-scale rescue operation was launched involving police, search-and-rescue crews and paramedics from around the region and beyond.
However, officials weren’t certain how many people were involved.
“The area has been shut down to keep people out,” said RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk.
“They’re going to continue on here with trying to remove people off the mountain in the area and (Sunday) reassess where we’re at.”
Moskaluk said police don’t have details about the people killed or the extent of injuries.
Kathy Berlingette, owner of Smokey Bear Campground Resort in the area, said the event was in a remote place and everyone involved had to drive their snowmobiles out to get there.
She said the slide occurred in an area known as Turbo Bowl.
“The avalanche was about 25 or 30 feet deep, covered about a half a kilometre in distance, it was a very big one,” she said.
Search and rescue teams, including helicopters and avalanche rescue dogs, were working to recover those caught in the slide.
“You’ve got a variety of emergency assets, everything ranging from your Revelstoke search and rescue to provincial emergency programs,” Moskaluk said.
“There’s air assets in the form of helicopters … RCMP police dogs, services dogs, avalanche trained dogs, a variety of machines and people — essentially it’s a large-scale rescue that’s being co-ordinated.”
B.C. Ambulance spokeswoman Kristy Hillen said 24 people were taken to hospital in Revelstoke, three in critical condition.
Four warnings have been issued by the Canadian Avalanche Centre in as many weeks for that area due to unpredictable and dangerous conditions.
A number of avalanches large enough to crush a pickup truck were also reported Friday.
Officials have been trying to shut the event down for a number of years because of safety concerns, said Buck Corrigan with Revelstoke Search and Rescue, namely due to the sheer number of people who come.
“The snowmobile club has really been trying to figure out a way to get it cancelled and the Ministry of Forests doesn’t like it going on because when everybody leaves, there’s beer cans and all that,” he said.
“It’s not sanctioned by anybody, in fact everybody would like to figure out a way to get it stopped, but that’s not happening — it’s got too much momentum.”
STARS Air Ambulance spokesman Cameron Hekes said at least one patient was flown to hospital in Calgary.
— With files from the Canadian Press
dave.dormer@sunmedia.ca
