THUNDER BAY — Three people were hurt after a serious transport collision on Highway 11-17 Tuesday evening, the Shuniah fire department says.
The crash occurred near Eldorado Beach Road, west of Pass Lake Road and roughly 30 kilometres east of Thunder Bay. The collision closed the westbound lanes.
Two transport trucks were seen to have sustained heavy damage. The rear of the trailer was mangled on one vehicle and the front engine area crushed on the second vehicle. Hayley McLeary, the northwest region's acting sergeant of media and communications for Ontario Provincial Police, said one truck ran into the back of the second truck, which was already disabled.
Shuniah Fire and Emergency Services was one of several first responders called to the scene. Fire chief Blair Arthur told Newswatch they arrived shortly before 5:30 p.m., and extricated one person from one of the vehicles. They also provided medical attention at the scene and made sure there was no fire to put out, he added.
Three people sustained injuries, Arthur said, and were transported by ambulance to hospital. McLeary said, of the three people involved, one person was flown to hospital and she categorized their injuries as non life-threatening.
Arthur said two land ambulances, an air ambulance and an ambulance supervisor were on-scene, along with Ontario Provincial Police, Shuniah Fire and Emergency Services and the Pass Lake fire department.
Traffic was observed backed up for about 5 kilometres westbound into Thunder Bay.
The OPP said a towing company was called in to help clean up the scene.
Regularly updated highway closure information is available online and by calling 511. McLeary also advised that people can follow the OPP's Northwest Region Communications X (formerly Twitter) account for updates. She said that, as of 7:45 p.m., there was no alternate route for traffic.
Arthur said he expects the westbound lanes to be closed for "quite a while."
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
