Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Three people were injured in a multi-vehicle collision that temporarily closed Highway 16 near Jasper Airport.
On July 6, Jasper RCMP responded to the multi-vehicle collision that occurred at around 12:15 p.m., along with Parks Canada, the Jasper Fire Department and Jasper EMS.
According to a preliminary investigation, a passenger van had stopped in the eastbound lane and a SUV had stopped in the westbound lane as a result of wildlife crossing the roadway.
Once the wildlife was off the roadway, the van proceeded when police believed an empty fuel tanker truck heading eastbound collided with the rear of the van.
This made the van cross into the lane of oncoming traffic and collide with the SUV.
A semi-tractor trailer unit travelling eastbound behind the fuel tanker took evasive action to avoid the collision and went off road.
The driver of the van sustained injuries that were not life threatening and was transported to the hospital for treatment and stayed there until July 7.
The van鈥檚 passenger, meanwhile, suffered life-threatening injuries that required STARS air transport to hospital for treatment.
The passenger remains in hospital in serious but stable condition.
The single occupant of the SUV was transported to hospital with injuries that weren鈥檛 life threatening.
The drivers of the fuel tanker and the semi-tractor were both not injured.
The highway was closed into the afternoon that day and later partially reopened until fully reopening around 6:45 p.m.
Police thanked the members of the public who initially provided first aid to the injured until emergency medical services arrived. Jasper RCMP and the RCMP Collision Reconstructionist continue to investigate the collision.
