Coquitlam RCMP investigating circumstances after light fixture fell on Canada Day crowd
A woman suffered "significant" injuries when a light fixture fell on the crowd during a Canada Day celebration in Coquitlam's Town Centre Park. Now, local Mounties say they're investigating "to determine if the incident involved any criminal intent."
The light fixture fell around 9 p.m. during a live performance, Coquitlam RCMP said in a news release Tuesday, adding that the detachment's Investigational Support Team is looking into what caused it to fall.
The fixture that fell was located "at the top of the bleachers facing the main stage," according to police.
One woman was taken to hospital with what police described as "significant, but non-life-threatening injuries."
Mounties are looking for additional information about what may have caused the light fixture to fall, and are working to determine if there was any criminal intent behind it.
"This event was well attended by thousands of people who may have seen the light fixture before it fell on spectators sitting in the bleachers of the nighttime performance," said Cpl. Alexa Hodgins in the release.
"We are asking the public to review their photographs or videos taken between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 1, 2023, around the bleachers as the light fixture may be visible in the background."
The City of Coquitlam is also encouraging witnesses to come forward.
Asked Tuesday for more information on the incident, a city spokesperson clarified that the structure that collapsed was "a temporary, free-standing fixture with tripod legs."
"Because there is an active police investigation, the city will not be commenting on the specifics," the spokesperson said in an email to CTV News.
"What we can share is that the city has protocols for all civic events, including Canada Day, to support the safety of individuals attending events in our community. The city is encouraging community members to share any information they may have regarding this matter with the Coquitlam RCMP to support their investigation."
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file number 2023-17333.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
OPP's mandatory alcohol screening during traffic stops 'not acceptable': CCLA
A spike in impaired driving-related collisions has caused Ontario’s provincial police to begin enforcing mandatory alcohol screening (MAS) at all traffic stops in the Greater Toronto Area -- a move one civil rights group says is ‘not acceptable.’
Maple Leafs down Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7
William Nylander scored twice and Joseph Woll made 22 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday to force Game 7 in their first-round series.
Jurors in Trump hush money trial hear recording of pivotal call on plan to buy affair story
Jurors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump heard a recording Thursday of him discussing with his then-lawyer and personal fixer a plan to purchase the silence of a Playboy model who has said she had an affair with the former president.
Southern Alberta store broken into by burly black bear
Staff at a small southern Alberta office supply store were shocked to find someone had broken into the business last week, but they were even more confused when they discovered the culprit was a bear.
Captain sentenced to 4 years for criminal negligence in fiery deaths of 34 aboard scuba boat
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a scuba dive boat captain to four years in custody and three years supervised release for criminal negligence after 34 people died in a fire aboard the vessel.
New scam targets Canada Carbon Rebate recipients
Fake text message and email campaigns trying to get money and information out of unsuspecting Canadian taxpayers have started circulating, just months after the federal government rebranded the carbon tax rebate the Canada Carbon Rebate.