VANCOUVER – At least four people died in a crane collapse in Kelowna, BC, on Monday, according to Mounties.
In a press conference the next day, Kelowna stated RCMP Insp. Adam MacIntosh also said a fifth person was killed in the collapse, but his remains have not yet been recovered.
Of the four people known to have died, three died on the spot and one was hospitalized but did not survive.
The body of the fifth person is said to be buried in the rubble. Officials work with professionals to safely recover his body with the help of WorkSafeBC, engineers, and others.
The RCMP announced that parts of the crane would have to be dismantled first.
MacIntosh said all five are men but are not currently publicly identified by authorities. Your next of kin have been notified.
Although his identity was not confirmed by the RCMP, an online fundraiser suggested that one of the five was Jared Zook, who was from the Edmonton area.
The Zook family declined a request from CTV News Edmonton to comment on his death.
A sixth person was admitted to the hospital, but has since been discharged with non-life-threatening injuries. The police did not provide any details about the injuries.
It is not yet known why the top of the crane crashed and hit an adjacent office building and retirement home.
Witnesses described the scene as “almost like being in a movie,” saying they had a worker over a beam to safety and others were trying to rescue the crane operator.
Several buildings on Bernard Avenue and St. Paul Street were damaged in the accident, and there was a power cut in the area.
As a result of the incident, a local state of emergency was declared on Monday.
Roads and sidewalks have been closed, and residents and visitors have been asked to avoid the area.
This is a evolving news story and will be updated. Look back to find out more.
