B.C. Coroners are heading to Lytton where at least two people may have tragically died in a quick-moving fire that ripped through the village. However, it could be some time before they can enter the area due to unsafe conditions.
Roughly 1,000 people live in the Lytton area.
In a joint news conference on Friday, chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said the Coroners Service has deployed investigators to the area, but it remains too unsafe to enter the area to conduct a search.
Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet reiterated that RCMP will also be entering the area to conduct a grid search once possible to do so.
It’s unclear how many people remain unaccounted for, and anyone who was able to flee the area are being urged to register online with Emergency Services, or go visit an evacuation centre in Chilliwack, Boston Bar, Merritt and Kamloops.
The Canadian Red Cross has also launched a tip line for families looking for their loved ones, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1-800-863-6582.
READ MORE: From smoke to devastation: 23 minutes in Lytton
More to come.
@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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