Probe man's death in park, chiefs urge coroner

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs is demanding answers after a homeless aboriginal man died during last month's heat wave.

Curtis Brick was found July 29 in Vancouver's Grandview Park near Commercial Drive. His family claims Brick had been lying motionless in the sun in the busy park for more than eight hours before someone called 911.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, the president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, is calling on B.C.'s chief coroner to investigate why it took more than 45 minutes for fire and ambulance crews to arrive, and how they treated Brick when they did arrive.

"In the observation of the witnesses, they felt the treatment was less than compassionate and very callous," Phillip told CBC Radio on Wednesday morning.

"Rather than noticing this man was deep in distress and needed immediate medical aid, they began to essentially kick his foot and demand that he get up, and obviously he was in no condition to do that," said Phillip.

Brick later died in hospital.

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs will make a formal request for a coroner's inquiry at a press conference on Thursday, Phillip said.