Passenger train quarantined in northern Ontario

[Bigmac]

Friday, May 09, 2008


FOLEYET, Ont. - Via Rail has confirmed one person has died aboard a train en route from Vancouver to Toronto, while others have been taken to a northern Ontario hospital.

According to reports police, fire and ambulance officials are on the scene in full protective gear.

Officials have also sealed off two of the train cars while they await public health. Health Canada officials are trying to determine the medical situation on site.

"The train is stopped for medical reasons," Via Rail spokeswoman Catherine Kaloutsky. "VIA is in contact with all the appropriate authorities. We are taking all precautions to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers and crew on board."

CN Rail reported the incident to police at 8:30 a.m., saying the woman had respiratory problems and that she showed no vital signs.

The passenger train stopped in about 40 kilometres west of the town of Foleyet, about 350 kilometres north of Sudbury. Up to 10 other people were showing similar flu-like symptoms, they have been taken by ambulance to Timmins District Hospital.

None of the other 264 passengers are being allowed off the train.

"Medical personnel are at the scene," Kaloutsky added. "They are standing by to assist as may be required."

The train - also known as the Canadian - was scheduled to arrive in Toronto Friday evening.

Other stops along the trip include: Sudbury Junction, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, Alta. and Kamloops, B.C.

with a file from Global News

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=8ad78a10-61da-4ae0-83dd-68da89156fb1

Condolences to the family of the woman. Not to be disrespectful of the deceased but for the sake of the other passengers hopefully it was an acute medical condition and not something communicable?

 

[George Wallace]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080509/train_alert_080509/20080509?hub=TopStories

Train quarantined in Ont. after passenger dies
Updated Fri. May. 9 2008 12:07 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

A Via Rail train, carrying more than 260 passengers to Toronto, has been quarantined in Foleyet, Ont. after a passenger died and up to 10 others fell ill.

The train was quarantined at the train depot in Foleyet, a community near Sudbury, Ont., after officials notified police that someone was feeling ill.

"Currently there are a few people who are seriously ill on the train and one person is being airlifted right now," OPP Sgt. Laura Nichols told CTV.ca from the North Bay Communications Centre.

Police say up to 10 people are ill with flu-like symptoms.

"As far as determining what it is, we're not there yet," Nichols said.

One person has been taken to hospital via air ambulance while the others were to be transported by land ambulance.

Via Rail spokesperson Catherine Kaloutsky told CTV News she can confirm that one person has died, but they are waiting for more details from the scene.

The train had left from Jasper and was bound for Toronto, Nichols said.

CN Rail spokesperson Frank Binder confirmed to CTV.ca that the train has come to a stop in Foleyet.

"Our crews have come to a complete stop at that location and they are dealing with emergency personnel there."

The illnesses appeared to have been contained to two train cars.

"The remaining who are on the other cars have not become ill," Nichols told CTV's Canada AM.

The Canadian Press reported that only emergency response personnel are being allowed on or off the train, which was carrying 260 passengers and 30 crewmembers.

A CN Rail sleep station has evacuated and local health facilities are on standby.

"The train is going to be here for quite a while," town chairperson Deborah DesRochers told CTV's Canada AM.

The matter has become one of federal jurisdiction because the train travelled through a number of provinces, said DesRochers, who will be on standby at the local nursing station.

Foleyet is a town of 380 about 100 kilometres southwest of Timmins.

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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/09/train-quarantine.html

Via train quarantined in northern Ontario, 1 dead
Last Updated: Friday, May 9, 2008 | 11:36 AM ET 

A Via Rail train has been quarantined in a small northern Ontario community Friday after one person died and several others reported feeling ill.

The train had been travelling from Vancouver to Toronto when it made its regular Friday morning stop in Foleyet, Ont. The town of 380 people is about 100 kilometres southwest of Timmins.

Via Rail spokeswoman Catherine Kaloutsky confirmed one person had died, but the cause of death isn't clear.

Several other people on the train reported feeling ill with flu-like symptoms. Some people have been taken to hospital, media reports said.

Emergency response teams are working inside the train, which was carrying 260 passengers and 30 crewmembers.

The illnesses appeared to be confined to two train cars.

"The whole place is being overrun with ambulances and police cars, and we've got helicopters," said town chairwoman Deborah DesRochers.

"They've got the train quarantined. They're trying to isolate what it is."

 

[old medic]

Foleyet ON is on highway 101, halfway between Chapleau and Timmins. It is in the District of Sudbury,
However assistance in Foleyet would come from Cochrane District (Timmins) and Algoma District (Wawa).

In addition to the provincial agencies, The train will fall into Federal jurisdiction as it crossed four provinces.