
Injury count rises to 22 after explosion at B.C. military base
CTV
An explosion at Canadian Forces Base Comox on Vancouver Island, injured a total of 22 people, according to the Department of National Defence.
Sixteen military members and six civilians were injured on Thursday after an explosion took place at a barracks building that was undergoing renovations.
Everyone has been treated and released from hospital Friday, except for one military member, according to Col. Bryn Elliott, wing commander at 19 Wing Comox.
Elliot says the individual is receiving surgery for a laceration to his leg on Friday.
Although the building was being renovated, the DND says it was being used for accommodations at the time of the blast.
Elliot says 59 people were housed in the building, though not everyone was inside of the building at the time of the blast.
The wing commander says an urban search and rescue team from Esquimalt, B.C. arrived at the site Thursday.
"They’ve been searching all night long using acoustic and infrared technologies in order to see if there’s absolutely anybody in there," Elliot told CTV News.