This is an eyewitness report from the NowPublic member tbphotos who was on the scene.
NP Rank:
Now Public Contributer on scene:
On Sunday, November 23rd, at approximately 9:00 A.M., an explosion occurred on a West Coast Express commuter train while it was travelling through Coquitlam, BC. approximately 20 miles east of Vancouver. There were over 100 passengengers with serious injuries as well as some fatalities with missing limbs. Fire Department, Paramedics, RCMP and Transit Supervisors were dispatched to the scene. Transit Supervisors called in buses to help transport many of the injured to Eagle Ridge Hospital in Coquitlam as well as to Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Officials from Transport Canada and Public Safety Canada also arrived along with dozens of media and TV reporters. The explosion was an act of terrorism and three individuals, two males and one female were witnessed fleeing from the scene. Transit personnel relayed descriptions of the individuals to police and they were later apprehended about a mile from the accident.
This was a mock emergency exercise, but the injured players were actually transported to the two hospital emergency wards, so even the hospital employees were involved in this exercise. The injured parties were members of the Vancouver Actors Guild, and they did a terrific job with their surreal screaming with pain, and their negative slurs in regards to the tardiness of medical assistance to arrive. All in all, the exercise went extremely well, with many hundreds of people taking part (including myself, a Transit Supervisor).
tbphotos
Vancouver, Canada
Sanjay Jha
New Delhi, India
Amy Judd
Vancouver, Canada
Anonymous user
Pasi
Jyväskylä, Keski-Suomi, Finland
Dave Keating
London, United Kingdom
Jason Sanders
Vancouver, Canada
kate
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Uwe Paschen
Narita, Chiba, Japan
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (7)
at 20:06 on November 23rd, 2008
OMG - I take this train sometimes!! However, nice to know they are ready for stuff like this.
at 20:13 on November 23rd, 2008
Thanks for your eyewitness post. Please keep us updated about this terrible accident.
at 14:53 on November 28th, 2008
did you READ the story before posting this comment?
This story needs a more work needed flag.
at 20:17 on November 23rd, 2008
Good Work, thank you for posting this.
at 22:51 on November 23rd, 2008
Wow! I know some people who take this. Great job with the article!
at 02:34 on November 24th, 2008
So c'mon editors - wheres the needs improvement for the misleading headline?
Even though the headline is misleading, it is quite well written and the picts are pretty good as well.
at 23:17 on November 29th, 2008
Misleading and amateurish. Reflects poorly on Now Public's reputation.