BONNYVILLE – On Thursday evening, a 4 km stretch of Highway 28, just past Range Road 454, became a treacherous strip for dozens of motorists.
Following an initial incident that Bonnyville Regional Fire Authorities (BRFA) Station 5 Bonnyville responded to at 2:15 p.m., five separate motor vehicle collisions occurred as subsequent vehicles tried to avoid the incident.
“The initial incident appears to be a vehicle that cut off the final vehicle in a funeral procession, forcing that vehicle into the ditch. A following vehicle attempting to slow down spun out of control and hit the ditch as well,” wrote BRFA Regional Fire Chief Dan Heney in a statement.
While members from Station 5 managed traffic to protect that scene, there were five more incidents – either collisions or vehicles hitting the ditch to avoid collisions, Heney explained.
“In all, eight people were assessed by EMS but none were transported (to hospital). Two vehicles were towed away from the scene and five were towed out of the ditch.”
He continued, “The remaining five incidents happened while the BRFA was controlling traffic as a result of the initial two incidents causing the accident scene to become four separate scenes stretched across 4 kms of Highway 28.”
Station 7 and 8 respond
On top of those incidents, Station 7 Fort Kent and Station 8 Ardmore also responded at 4:08 p.m. to a vehicle in the ditch on Highway 28 and Range Road 433.
According to Heney, the driver was not transported to hospital by EMS, but was left in the care of RCMP while waiting on a tow truck.
Highway conditions were very slippery and due to flurry conditions visibility was very limited.
Heney asked motorists “Please stay off the highway if possible, and if you cannot avoid it, please drive carefully.”
