Northern storm turns deadly when man hit by falling tree
Published Tuesday, August 2, 2011 11:06AM CST
A severe string of thunderstorms in northern Saskatchewan turned deadly over the weekend. Early Sunday morning, a 19-year-old man died after he was hit by a falling tree.
The tragic accident happened near Little Philion Lake, about 115 kilometers northwest of Waskesiu.
RCMP say a family was camping in tents when a heavy storm with rain and hail came through the area. Most of the family managed to make it to their truck for protection, but a young man was still inside the tent when a large tree fell. The family called for help but emergency crews could not get to the location due to fallen trees. Crews used a float plane to get to the injured man, but when they finally arrived, it was too late.
An autopsy is pending, and the matter is still under investigation. The name of the victim has not been released.
That same string of thunderstorms left an incredible amount of damage in the camping area around Poplar Point, about 20 kilometers north of Big River.
High winds knocked over trees and stirred up branches and debris, which completely covered campers, tents, and cars.
One other person was sent to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. It's believed the storm hit around 3:30 a.m.
Crews were on scene all day Monday, assisting with the cleanup.