Horse killed, rider injured in collision on CN rail tracks in southern B.C.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A horse has been killed and its rider was injured in a collision with a train on Canadian National tracks near Kamloops, B.C.

Witness Nathan Ritchie says blowing snow had created near white-out conditions Sunday along a section of track through Rayleigh, just north of Kamloops.

Ritchie says the area is dangerous even on a clear day, so he wonders what the horse and rider were doing so near the tracks.

RCMP Sgt. Sascha Fesenko says the male rider was taken to a local medical facility for examination but the horse died at the scene.

An emailed statement from Canadian National Railway says the company is still investigating.

Ritchie says the horse may have been spooked or the rider may not have heard or seen the approaching train because of the limited visibility and noise from the wind. (CHNL, CFJC, The Canadian Press)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2020.