UPDATE (4:00pm) Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops in under a Code Orange as they prepare to receive some of the 56 people who were on the tour bus. A code orange is described as "response means the activation of a command centre and additional staff and physicians were brought in, including the services of Mental Health clinicians and social workers."
Merritt RCMP confirm that all the passengers have some degree of injuries with six of them critical. At this point there is no report of any fatalities.
Original Story:
An accident has occurred approximately 30 kilometres south of Merritt and early reports say a tour bus full of people has flipped.
#Merritt BCHwy5 between Comstock & Coldwater tour bus that has rolled over. Air Ambulance Launched. Several patients needing EMS.
— Northwest Incidents (@NWIncidents) August 28, 2014
The Coquihalla highway is shut heading southbound and northbound and an air ambulance has been called to the scene. RCMP and ambulances are heading towards the scene, but no details have been released as of yet to the severity of injuries.
We will have more information as it becomes available.
A detour is available via highway 8 and highway 1, check DriveBC for the latest updates.
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
