1 dead, several injured after tent collapses at meditation centre north of Edmonton

The Alberta RCMP says one person is dead and several other people have been taken to hospital after a structure collapse at the Westlock Meditation Centre near Busby — just over 50 kilometers northwest of Edmonton.

Mounties say a large tent structure collapsed due to severe weather around 5:30 p.m.

RCMP Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said there were as many as 100 people in and around the tent at a Buddhist monastery.

“Ultimately, we hope to determine exactly what circumstances may have led to this,” he said Thursday.

“We do know, though, that extreme winds were a major contributing factor.”

The RCMP from Westlock and several other areas, along with EMS and fire crews, attended the scene and began assisting multiple people who were nearby or inside the tent when it collapsed.

Savinkoff said of those hurt, several were seriously injured and there were about 50 minor injuries ranging from bumps and bruises to broken bones.

Mounties say despite several attempts at medical intervention, one person died from their injuries.

Occupational Health and Safety and the RCMP have begun investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“We do have investigators that are on site. They’re going to be interviewing everybody there. So as you can imagine, that’s quite the large investigation,” Savinkoff said.

“We do have investigators that are on site. They’re going to be interviewing everybody there. So as you can imagine, that’s quite the large investigation,” Savinkoff said.

-With files from the Canadian Press