Posted on 05/09/2008 8:04:35 AM PDT by fanfan
A Via Rail train, carrying more than 260 passengers to Toronto, has been quarantined in Foleyet, Ont. after one person died and several people fell 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.
The train was quarantined at the train depot in Foleyet, a community near Sudbury, Ont., after officials notified police that someone was feeling ill. More than 260 people were aboard the train when it stopped in Foleyet.
Police believe there are a total of four to five people who are ill on the train, experiencing flu-like symptoms.
"As far as determining what it is, we're not there yet," Nichols said.
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."
With more to come...
I have taken that train from Toronto to Vancouver (and back). It stops right outside a very good hamburger stand in Winnipeg and Jasper.
CTV.ca Videos
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/train-death/#clip51913
Dr. Michael Gardam, infectious diseases expert, says they have no information that the death is actually connected with the illnesses of the other persons.
Wouldn't that take longer to kill someone than the train ride would have lasted?
Seems like if it was terrorists they would have done gas or bio to the entire train not just a couple of cars.
Two cars only? How many cars were there total? If it was food poisoning it would be more widespread than 2 cars.
Thanks for the ping Joe. FF ~ keep us posted on the latest please.
according to viaRailCanada a trip from Vancouver to Foleyet takes 2 days 11 hours.
VirginiaMom
Avian influenza (" bird flu") - Fact sheet
As for bird flu, looks like incubation takes a while, but the decline can be rapid.
My family once took the train from New York City to Seattle, back in the 60s. It took us four days, with a change of trains in Chicago.
That was quite a while ago, but I figure the time across Canada is probably similar.
If this is really a GI bug, suppose it could something as mundane as a norovirus.
I think that Jasper, Alberta would be on one of the major migratory flyways to and from Alaska, where last year I think they had reported bird flu. So the next question is whether the dead person had barnyard bird contacts, which is where the crossover from wild fowl to domestic fowl and thence to humans usually takes place.
Hmmm. Did the victims all buy a burger there?
They don’t do things like this for someone who dies from heart failure around a couple of sick people, something else must have triggered a response like they are doing. I think there is a chance this could be very bad.
Thanks Tom.
I wonder why no reports of folks calling out on their cell phones?
Good question.
Maybe ‘they’ took the cell phones away from the passengers?
I was wondering about that. Or is could be that there’s no service in the area. If it’s the latter, the authorities really lucked out on that one.
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