# 1966
Roughly 3 and 1/2 hours (about 9 am ET) ago a train, traveling from Vancouver to Toronto, stopped in the town of Foleyet, about 350 kilometres north of Sudbury, when a passenger died.
Ten others aboard the train, complaining of `flu-like' symptoms have been transported to the hospital.
The remaining (roughly 240) passengers are temporarily quarantined aboard the train until the cause can be identified.
At this point, the cause could be viral, bacterial, chemical, or due to some other toxin.
Flutrackers has been updating this story on a constant basis for the past couple of hours on this thread.
The initial story was a brief news item, posted by Dutchy at 11:10 am ET.
Train quarantined south of Timmins
May 09, 2008 10:52 AM
Curtis RushSTAFF REPORTER
A VIA train bound for Toronto with more than 260 passengers aboard has been stopped north of Timmins after one person died and others fell ill.
As the train was pulling in around 8:30 a.m. at Foleyet, a small town northwest of Sudbury, CN Rail officials were told there was a passenger who had died.
Five other people then took ill with flu-like symptoms, Ontario Provincial Police said.
Emergency workers with full protective gear were called to the train and about 10 people have been taken to hospital in Timmins, OPP said.
The rest of the passengers on the train have been quarantined.
The train originated in Jasper, Alta.
Ten minutes later Dutchy had this update.
Death On Toronto-Bound Via Rail Train
Friday May 9, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff
A woman has died and 10 more in hospital after a flu-like outbreak on board a Via Rail train. The train, travelling from Vancouver to Toronto, is now under quarantine near Timmins.Sgt Laura Nichols OPP said that she was called by CN at 8:35am Friday. "There was one person who had vital signs absent and five other people that were sick with flu-like symptoms," she reported.
That number quickly increased to ten, and all were taken to Timmins and District Hospital.
"The Timmins District Hospital is a regional hospital, and I'm confident they can handle it," Nichols allowed.
The train is stopped in Foleyet.
"The whole place is being overrun with ambulances and police cars, and we've got helicopters," said Deborah DesRochers, chairwoman of the town. "They've got the train quarantined. They're trying to isolate what it is."
There were 260 passengers and 30 crewmembers on board the train. Emergency crews in full protective gear searched the affected cars. It's believed, but not certain, that the outbreak is confined to only two cars. No one except emergency personnel is allowed on or off the trains.
If you're looking for a relative or friend, Nichols confirms that an incident commander is en route. "He'll be working with local officials to try and get some processes together to help out those people, to get in contact," she says.
The cause of the outbreak has not yet been determined. It could be biological, chemical, or food-related.
Health Canada has also been called in.
More details to follow.
Live audio coverage is available via 680 News Radio (Hat Tip Henry Niman) streaming on the Internet HERE.
While these reports sound alarming, this story is still developing, and things may become clearer in a few hours. This could easily be due to carbon monoxide poisoning, food poisoning, or some other non-contagious illness.
