A 26-year-old woman and her five-month-old child were killed by a tree that fell on a beach on Vancouver Island, RCMP said.
The incident at the Cumberland Lake Park Campground on Comox Lake, which is about 225 kilometres northwest of Victoria, happened shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday. The park also has a public beach and picnic area.
B.C. Emergency Health Services said three ambulances responded and one patient was treated and taken to hospital in serious condition.
The area where the incident happened is currently roped off as police investigate.
No criminality is suspected, the Comox Valley RCMP said in a press release.
“Out of respect for the family, and given the sensitive nature of this loss, no further details will be released.”
Deputy Fire Chief Stephane Dionne of Cumberland Fire Rescue said they got a trauma call for two people injured by a tree that fell on the beach.
When crews arrived on the scene, people were doing CPR on the two patients. Firefighters took over until the ambulances came.
He said the people who were there before the crews were doing “everything in their power” to help and thanked them for their efforts.
He said there is no concern around the lake.
“It just happened to be one of those incidents that you cannot control,” Dionne said. “But normally those areas are really safe.”
Dionne said he does not know about the condition of the tree that fell.
The investigation is being handled by Comox Valley RCMP and the BC Coroner’s Service.
Cumberland Mayor Vickey Brown asked the public to stay away from the area as police investigate.
“Sending both our emergency response teams and the family involved strength, love and compassion,” she said in a post to Facebook.
