Forensic team heads to Canadian town destroyed by fire to confirm reports of deaths
- The Coroners Service in British Columbia said they will enter the devastated village of Lytton, near Vancouver, ‘only if it has been deemed safe’
- Another fire near Kamloops, British Columbia, forced officials to evacuate more than 100 homes on Friday. The cause of the fire in Lytton is under investigation
A forensic team arrived on Saturday in a Canadian town destroyed by fire to confirm reports that two people were killed during the blazes which forced residents to abandon their homes with just a few minutes notice several days ago.
The Coroners Service in British Columbia said they will enter the devastated village of Lytton, located 95 miles (150 kilometres) northeast of Vancouver, “only if it has been deemed safe.”
The roughly 1,000 residents of Lytton fled their homes on Wednesday evening after suffering the previous day under a record high of 49.6C.
One resident said he watched his parents die when a power line fell on them while trying to hide from the flames.
Jeff Chapman told CBC News he and his parents, who were in their 60s, were preparing for a late afternoon barbecue when they saw smoke and flames approaching.