A father has recounted the harrowing experience after his daughter was electrocuted during a school field trip to Cultus Lake Waterpark, where an electrical malfunction injured 12 children.
Incident Details
Darin Nielsen dropped off his children, Landon, 11, and Bella, 13, at Minnekhada Middle School in Port Coquitlam on Monday morning, excited for an end-of-year field trip to Cultus Lake Waterpark. Shortly before 1 p.m., his wife called to inform him of an incident involving Bella. Initially thinking it was a minor behavioral issue, Nielsen soon learned the severity when his wife mentioned electrocution and burns.
Bella was among 12 children aged 12 and 13 injured in an electrical incident at the water park in Chilliwack. Ten were taken to Abbotsford Regional Hospital, while two unconscious children were airlifted to B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver. Police reported all injuries as serious but stable. By Tuesday, at least eight children remained hospitalized, with some transferred to B.C. Children's Hospital.
Cause Under Investigation
Andrew Steunenberg, the park's chief administrative officer, stated that the cause is still under investigation. He noted that the children were likely injured when they came into contact with a metal hand railing at the base of the Zero-60 Raceway ride. The ride had been inspected in May, but the area's last electrical inspection date was not disclosed.
The park initially closed for 48 hours but has since extended the closure indefinitely, pending investigation by Technical Safety B.C. At least one Metro school district has canceled all scheduled field trips to the water park.
Father's Account
Upon arriving at the hospital, Nielsen and his wife found Bella giving a thumbs up. She suffered a burn on her left leg near the ankle, leaving a red mark from contact with the electrified railing, and experienced some loss of sensation. Despite the ordeal, Bella was cleared to go home on Tuesday.
Nielsen described the shock of hearing the word “electrocution” and the relief of seeing his daughter conscious. The incident has left families and the community shaken, as investigations continue to determine the exact cause of the electrical failure.
