The RCMP is saying the substance spill occurred at an apartment located at 81 Fraser Ave. in downtown Fort McMurray about 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon. The entire fourth floor of the building, part of an apartment block, was evacuated. Five siblings were taken to hospitals, where the youngest, an eight-month old was pronounced dead.
The Huffington Post is reporting that Cpl. George Cameron said on Monday that the four children remain hospitalized in critical condition. A two- and a six-year-old are in Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton and a four- and a six-year-old are in a hospital in Fort McMurray. The father is with the two children in Edmonton and the mother is hospitalized in Fort McMurray under observation.
“Investigators are trying to determine the exact substance … and that information would obviously be passed on to medical folks, so that they can determine the best course of action as far as treatment goes for the other kids,” said Cameron. The name of the family is being withheld at their request.
Air quality tests were done on the fourth floor of the apartment building following the spill. The tests showed there was no threat to residents and families were allowed back into the building around 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Investigators are saying that while tests are still underway to determine the exact substance involved, they think it is some kind of fumigant.
The Manager of the Hearthstone Manor apartment building, Sandy Mijajlovic, said the family that lived in the suite had just returned from a visit to Pakistan, says the National Post.
