Several athletes at the World Police and Fire Games are hurt after a crash during a cycling event at Birds Hill Park in Winnipeg.
The injured riders were taking part in the Road Race event. The crash prompted the Health Sciences Centre to briefly call a Code Orange, in case of a mass casualty event. The code was declared over about 45 minutes later.
Seven riders taking part in the race were hurt and taken to the hospital while others were treated at the scene.
Mike Edwards, chief operating officer of the games, said the racers were going downhill during the race at the Birds Hill Provincial Park when one athlete bumped into another, creating a domino effect.
“Within cycling the athletes ride in a group, it’s called a peloton, and sometimes they may nudge each other and then you get a bit of a rub and when one goes down when you are riding in a pack like that it just has the ability to escalate into multiple injuries,” Edwards said everyone looks to be in stable condition now.
A spokesperson from Shared Health said many units responded to the crash including seven ambulances, a medical first response vehicle, and a STARS air ambulance.
Thousands of law enforcement personnel and firefighters from more than 70 counties are competing in various sports at the event.
Edwards said personal healthy privacy laws prevent him from revealing information about the injured racers but that not all were Canadian.
The organization posted on its website that due to unforeseen circumstances, its street cycling race has been cancelled.
The World Police Fire Games are scheduled to wrap up Sunday.
— With files from The Canadian Press
Comments