Smoky Lake RCMP are reporting that a heavy-duty tow truck pulling a sem-truck collided head on with a southbound SUV on the Weaskatenau Bridge over the North Saskatchewan River on Sunday night after the tow truck had a tire blowout.
RCMP say the crash was reported at about 6:30 Sunday night.
Police say five occupants in the SUV suffered a variety of injuries, with the most serious being head injuries to a seven-year-old child. Police say the operator of the tow truck didn't suffer serious physical injuries.
Both lanes of Highway 831 south of Waskatenau — from Highway 28 to Highway 45 — were closed for several hours, but were re-opened for traffic on Monday morning.
The investigation into the collision is continuing.
Original story- Sunday Night:
A 25-kilometre section of a northeastern Alberta highway that serves as a connector from Edmonton to much of the Lakeland area was closed to traffic on Sunday night following a crash the Waskatenau Bridge that crosses the North Saskatchewan River.
The section of highway was closed between the intersections of Highway 28 at the north, and Highway 45 at the south.The bridge section of the highway is at the bottom of a valley about five kilometres south of the Waskatenau community. The speed limit in the area of the bridge is reduced from highway speeds to 80 kilometres per hour. The bridge is one of four main crossings over the river between Saddle Lake and Redwater.
North and south traffic attempting to cross the North Saskatchewan River on Sunday night was detoured around the area to Highway 855 through Smoky Lake or Highway 38 across the Vinca Bridge south of Redwater.
RCMP have not issued any details of the crash that re-routed traffic around the scene, but staff at a gas station along one of the detour routes through Smoky Lake said the incident took place in the late afternoon and drew emergency crews from across the region. The section of roadway was still blocked on Sunday night at 10 pm
The Lac La Biche POST newsroom will have more details on the crash when police release information.
