Woman killed in bedroom when wind knocks down tree in British Columbia

VANCOUVER – A woman was killed inside her bedroom Thursday when high winds knocked a large tree onto a home during a storm that blasted across most of B.C.’s south coast.

Sgt. Travis Carroll said the victim was struck by the tree that broke through the roof in the Port Moody area, just west of Vancouver.

The 59-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

“Port Moody Fire and Rescue tried to uncover her and unfortunately she didn’t survive her injuries,” he said.

Carroll said the home backed onto a ravine.

At the height of the storm, more than 114,000 customers of BC Hydro were without power across Metro Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast as Environment Canada posted warnings of winds gusting to 90 kilometres per hour.

Classes were cancelled at more than a dozen schools in Surrey and the Fraser Valley, while Delta Mayor Lois Jackson launched its flood response plan to deal with localized flooding in Boundary Bay, Beach Grove and downtown Ladner.

B.C. Ferries cancelled its early runs from Comox to Powell River, while several other sailings between Tsawwassen and Vancouver Island were running as much as an hour late.

Richmond RCMP reported that a tree fell onto a car but no one was hurt.