Updated:
A disgruntled patient called in a bomb threat to the Health Unit in Penticton on Thursday morning.
Penticton RCMP spokesman Sgt. Rick Dellebuur said Mounties were advised of a report of a bomb in the Health Unit at 740 Carmi Ave at 8:35 a.m.
“A woman had called the health unit and claimed there was a bomb set to go off inside,” said Dellebuur.
Penticton RCMP attended and the health unit was evacuated and traffic re-routed. Penticton RCMP followed up on the call and identified and located the elderly female caller.
“It was learned the caller was disgruntled that an appointment had been changed and thus called and made the bomb threat,” said Dellebuur.
Traffic was blocked for a one-block radius around the centre, which is across the street from Penticton Regional Hospital. RCMP said they are following up on the incident and it is not known at this time if charges will be laid on the female caller.
Staff members from the centre were evacuated to the hospital. Some of those employees said the evacuation went smoothly after an announcement was made over the building’s public address system. The employees would not provide their names because they said they weren’t authorized to speak to the media.
Operations at the health unit and area are returning to normal. Interior Health spokesperson Lisa Braman referred comment to the RCMP.
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Penticton RCMP said a bomb threat was called in to a public health clinic in Penticton on Thursday morning.
Sgt. Rick Dellebuur said everyone from the health centre has been evacuated from the building.
“I think they are tracking down where the call may have come from. Right now we are trying to determine if it is a hoax and go from there,” said Dellebuur. “We have some leads and are following them up as we speak.”
More on this to come.
-With files from Joe Fries and Kristi Patton
