Last Updated: Friday, May 9, 2008 | 1:08 PM ET Comments19Recommend222
CBC News

A Via Rail train has been quarantined in a small northern Ontario community Friday after one person died and several others reported feeling ill.

The train had been travelling from Vancouver to Toronto when it made its regular Friday morning stop in Foleyet, Ont. The town of 380 people is about 100 kilometres southwest of Timmins.

Via Rail spokeswoman Catherine Kaloutsky confirmed one person had died, but the cause of death isn't clear.

OPP Const. Marc Depatie said police first heard about the death around 9 a.m. ET. He said he believed the woman who died was in her 60s and had boarded the train in Jasper as part of a tour group. Depatie said there were reports she had flu-like symptoms when she boarded.

Depatie said seven other members of the group have reported feeling flu-like symptoms.

One person has been airlifted to Timmins and District Hospital and is in stable condition, said Steve Trenier, a spokesperson for Timmins Emergency Medical Services.

Emergency response workers, including a doctor, are working inside the train, which was carrying 260 passengers and 30 crewmembers.

"Things are underway," said Trenier. "We're waiting for some further information."

Carol Woodhouse, who works in the town, said a medical helicopter, five ambulances and emergency workers were all at the railway station. OPP and CN vehicles had blocked off the road leading to the station.

"There's lots of action going on," she said.

Woodhouse said the air ambulance landed in a local baseball field where workers dressed in white suits and facemasks removed someone from the train.

"For a little town that usually has only two police officers, it's been very busy here," she said.

Dr. Allison McGeer, the director of infection control at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, said there could be many explanations for such symptoms, including influenza, food poisoning or environmental exposure.

While influenza activity has decreased in western Canada, it is still active in Ontario, she said.

"There's bound to be a few of those people [on the train] who are ill," said McGeer.

She said Ontario's new infection control system means the results from specimens sent from the train will be available later Friday or Saturday.

"It's incredibly effective," she said.

With files from the Canadian Press

creepy!!!!

Weird!!

DEATH TRAIN WHOOOOO

Places to visit in 2008:

Louisiana
Indiana
Canada

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