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December 16, 2016 - 11:45 AM
VICTORIA - British Columbia's coroners' service says extreme cold weather across the province may be connected to at least three deaths this month.
The service is warning the public to take extra care as Environment Canada has posted alerts for arctic outflow warnings for many parts of the province.
The service says two of the deaths occurred in the Cariboo-Chilcotin area, the third happened in the upper Fraser Valley and all three are still being investigated.
Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says while hypothermia can kill anyone, the elderly and people with mobility challenges are at greatest risk so friends and neighbours should look out for them.
The service is also warning about the risks of fire or carbon-monoxide poisoning that can result as people use makeshift heaters to stay warm.
It says homes should never be heated by a stove or oven, flammable items should be kept at a distance from space heaters and generators should not be operated indoors.
"If you know your neighbours are elderly, take the time to give them a call or drop by, just to make sure they are coping," Lapointe says in a news release.
The service says people should take precautions against hypothermia when they are outdoors, especially considering the wind-chill factor or if they get wet or are impaired by alcohol.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016