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Your source for local sports, news, weather and entertainment! >> www.burnabynow.com Up close and personal with an owl pellet
EDMONDS FIRE
Seniors injured Alfie Lau
staff reporter
An early-morning two-alarm fire Monday in the Edmonds area has sent three seniors to hospital. Burnaby fire crews responded to the fire at just before 3:30 a.m. at the 20-storey Hall Towers complex located at 7272 Kingsway. According to initial press reports, the fire broke out on the eighth floor shortly after 3 a.m. “When we got there, we found three people lying in the hallway outside the suite. One was in Visit www.burnabynow.com for a video on this story full cardiac arrest and the others were suffering from smoke inhalation,” Burnaby Assistant Fire Chief Ward Rossiter told The Vancouver Sun. “We believe the fire was accidental. No sign of arson. It could be an electrical fault or smoking.” Burnaby RCMP media spokesperson Cpl. Brenda Gresiuk said the most seriously injured of the three was a man who is now in
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Kevin Hill/burnaby now
Time to scat: Kaleo Kass, 5, dissects an owl pellet at the All Things Creepy, Slimy and Spooky event at the Burnaby Lake Regional
Park Nature house on Saturday.
District says Wi-Fi in city schools is safe But Burnaby-based health group questions science behind conclusion Jennifer Moreau staff reporter
The Burnaby-based Health Action Network Society is raising concerns about Wi-Fi in schools. Although Health Canada
has assured the public that the radio frequency energy emitted from Wi-Fi equipment is extremely low and not associated with any health risk, the Health Action Network Society director, Milt Bowling, isn’t convinced. “Health Canada is guessing. There is no science to support their position,” he said. According to Bowling, parents from all over the Lower Mainland, including Burnaby and New Westminster, have con-
tacted the society with concerns about WiFi in schools. In Burnaby, 37 schools have Wi-Fi, most with limited coverage although University Highlands Elementary, Byrne Creek Secondary and Brantford Elementary are fully covered. Greg Frank, the district’s secretary treasurer, said there haven’t been any Wi-Fi health concerns. “These Wi-Fi installations are limited local networks only and are well
below Health Canada and World Health Organization guidelines,” he said. “In everything we do, the health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority.” In an Aug. 18 media advisory, Health Canada stated “radio frequency energy levels from Wi-Fi equipment in all areas accessible to the general public, including school settings, are required to meet Health Canada’s safety guidelines (Safety) Wi-Fi Page 5