A Canadian water park will remain closed until at least late July following an electrical shock incident that sent 12 children to the hospital during a school field trip, officials said.
Cultus Lake Waterpark, located in Chilliwack, has suspended all ticket sales and issued refunds to guests, CBC News reported. The facility is targeting a potential reopening in the second half of July, contingent upon regulatory approval, according to statements posted on the company’s website.
The closure follows an incident during a field trip for sixth- and seventh-grade students from Minnekhada Middle School. Emergency crews were called to the park at around 11:20 a.m. after the children were hurt while waiting in line for the Zero to 60 Raceway ride, according to the outlet.
Andrew Steunenberg, the chief administrative officer at Cultus Lake Waterpark, said in a news conference that the incident was electrical in nature and occurred when people touched a metal railing in the waiting area.
“When they made contact … that’s where the incident occurred, for a brief time,” Steunenberg said. “That’s the space of time that there seemed to be an anomaly, and that’s what they’re investigating right now.”
British Columbia Emergency Health Services dispatched ambulances and two helicopters to the park. Two of the victims were flown to the hospital, and the other 10 were taken by ambulances.
Officials said that while the electrical burns were serious, they were not life-threatening. All of the children have since been released from the hospital, as reported by CTV News.
Technical Safety British Columbia, the leading provincial regulator, has placed the park under a safety order and is conducting a thorough assessment.
A preliminary investigation by utility provider B.C. Hydro determined that the electrical malfunction originated on the customer’s side of the service, according to CBC News. Local police stated there was no indication that the event had been the result of deliberate human action.
The incident has drawn attention to the park operator’s other location, which also dealt with safety issues.
Splashdown Vernon, which shares the same owner and president, had its opening delayed ahead of the 2025 season after six of its 11 slides failed to obtain permits. Regulators held back the approvals because of slide deterioration and failure to follow safety protocols, according to CTV News.
In a statement on its website, the management of Cultus Lake Waterpark said it was cooperating fully with investigators and conducting a site-wide inspection to identify any points of concern.
“The investigation into this horrible incident is still in progress, we have confidence in the Technical Safety BC investigative team to determine the cause,” the company stated.
