One man has died and another injured in a tree-falling incident in the Kootenays on Oct. 11, 2023. (Fernie Search and Rescue photo)

One man has died and another injured in a tree-falling incident in the Kootenays on Oct. 11, 2023. (Fernie Search and Rescue photo)

Man dies while cutting trees for firewood near Elko

The men were cutting trees in a remote location in the Kootenays

One man has died after an incident while cutting firewood with a friend near Elko, B.C.

Staff-Sgt. Svend Nielsen said in a statement Wednesday (Oct. 11) that RCMP members, along with the Elko Fire Department, BC Ambulance Service and Fernie Search and Rescue were deployed to a remote location east of Waldo Road and south of Baynes Lake.

Due to poor reception and incomplete data regarding their GPS location, it took emergency crews some time to find the men, Nielsen said.

“The friends had been cutting down two trees separately, one tree hit the other on the way down and the one tree fell on the deceased.”

Nielsen says the death was caused by the tree impact.

RCMP continue to work with the BC Coroner’s Service while they investigate.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story erroneously stated that the other man was seriously injured.

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