RCMP have released further details about an accident near Galloway, a half hour east of Cranbrook, on Tuesday, May 30.
At about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, a semi truck and trailer careened into a line of stopped vehicles in a construction zone Highway 3/93 near Galloway, just outside Jaffray. The two kilometre section of Provincial Highway has been under construction since the beginning of spring as the Province moves to widen the highway and add passing lanes.
An RCMP press release issued Thursday said the area has been well marked by the construction contract, using warning signs, speed reader boards, pylons and flag people, but that was not enough to prevent a collision that resulted in four people being taken to hospital with serious to critical injuries.
Initial police investigation into the matter indicates that eastbound traffic was being stopped on they highway by flag persons as construction material was moved. Several eastbound vehicles had already stopped on the travel portion of the highway when the semi truck hauling fuel entered the construction zone and appeared to not slow or stop as it approached the stopped vehicles. The semi slammed into the line of stopped vehicles, causing a chain reaction which involved four more vehicles. Injured people were transported to East Kootenay Regional Hospital to be treated for their injuries.
The collision occurred during full daylight hours and the roadway was clear and dry at the time of the collision.
Investigation into this collision continues with police officers from Elk Valley RCMP, East Kootenay Traffic Services, SED Reconstruction Unit and Commercial Vehicle Safety Inspectors involved.