Accidents and pileups keep RCMP busy

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This article was published 18/02/2013 (4876 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 

 

Motorists who must be on the roads were urged Monday to drive with extra caution by emergency vehicles and tow trucks that are out in force at countless crash scenes in southern Manitoba Monday.

It was sheer luck no one was injured at a dramatic scene this morning at the Trans-Canada Highway closure near Headingley.

Truckers in two semis crashed into the barricade blocking off Highway 1, sending debris that damaged an RCMP cruiser on guard at the road closure, police said in a statement.

“Two semis hit the road closure barricades at the Headingley weight scales despite a marked police vehicle with lights on at the location near the gate. Flying debris caused damage to the police vehicle. Luckily, the officers were not hurt,” RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Line Karpish said in the statement.

That investigation continued into the afternoon, with RCMP units from Headingley and traffic services on scene.

Poor visibility and treacherous driving conditions were blamed for a 10-car pileup on the Trans-Canada at St. Francois Xavier Monday morning and countless other collisions around the province.

RCMP reported no serious injuries so far.

The 10-car pile-up at St. Francois Xavier included several semi-trailers in the chain reaction blamed on the snow storm.

Three other semis were also involved in a similar pileup west of PR 332 on the westbound lanes on the Trans-Canada Highway.

The Trans-Canada Highway east of Winnipeg has now been reopened to traffic 5.4 kilometers east of the Perimeter.

The highway was one of countless road closures in the province because of the winter storm. The eastern portion of Highway 1 was closed due to a traffic accident.

The highway opened about 12:30 p.m.

Police are reporting to slow down on Highway 15.

Blizzard-like conditions this afternoon has resulted in poor driving conditions between Glass and Dugald.

The RCMP say visibility has been reduced to zero with drifting snow.

The RCMP say if you must drive in that area, to reduce your speed, increase the distance between other vehicles and exercise extra caution.