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A shuttle bus crash south of Mackenzie, B.C., has left 20 people injured, prompting mass casualty declarations at two regional hospitals.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
A shuttle bus crash near the community of Mackenzie, B.C., has resulted in 20 injuries, according to police. The incident occurred on Highway 39, south of the community, which is located approximately 180 kilometres north of Prince George.
The RCMP reported that the injuries sustained in the crash range from minor to serious. To transport the injured, multiple ground ambulances and an air ambulance were deployed to the scene.
Following the incident, two hospitals issued a Code Orange, a designation typically used to indicate a mass casualty event. The Northern Health Authority confirmed that the Mackenzie and District Hospital and the University Hospital of Northern BC in Prince George both declared the status.
Regarding the situation at the University Hospital of Northern BC, the Northern Health Authority stated, “We ask that Prince George area residents avoid the UHNBC emergency department for all but life-threatening emergency needs at this time.” The health authority added, “We do not have details to share at this time about the number of patients involved, or their conditions; our thoughts are with those who’ve been impacted.”
A multinational data centre company, IREN, stated that a bus chartered by one of its contractors was involved in the crash. A spokesperson for IREN said the crash occurred near the firm's 4.5-hectare data centre site located south of the remote northern community.
IREN, which operates three data centres in B.C. and has projects planned in Spain and Australia, also has data centres in the United States. The company stated that its data centres allow clients to train powerful AI models.
In a statement, an IREN spokesperson said, “We are in close contact with the contractor, emergency responders and the RCMP as they work to establish what happened.” The company added that its “immediate concern” was for those on the bus and their families and that the company is supporting the response.
Highway 39 was closed to facilitate emergency responders at the scene. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Brett Urano issued a statement saying, “We ask the public to avoid the area and allow emergency personnel the space they need to safely respond to this incident.” Cpl. Urano also noted that drivers should expect significant delays and are encouraged to check DriveBC before travelling.
According to the traffic information agency DriveBC, a detour is available through the Causeway and Mill Road, and drivers are advised to use caution.
While a school bus was sent to the area to provide support, Mackenzie Secondary School stated in a statement that the crash did not involve any of its students.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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