Five-vehicles involved in MVIs causing highway closure near Genelle
By Castlegar Source
Two related MVIs involving five vehicles closed Hwy 22 between Castlegar and Trail this morning, according to Fire Chief Sam Lattanzio. He said the call came in at roughly 7:19 a.m., and nine firefighters responded to an area near Pipeline Pitt Road (just north of Genelle).
The original crash involved three vehicles, he said, and BCAS was already on scene when CFD arrived.
“A one-ton deck truck lost control and hit a small sedan head on,” Lattanzio said, explaining a third vehicle, a Jeep SUV, then t-boned the truck. “All three vehicles were heavily damaged.”
Three people were involved in the crash and two were sent to Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital with undetermined injuries.
Meanwhile, there was a second MVI just south of this location as motorists attempted to avoid the original crash, this time causing no injury and only minor damage to the vehicles involved.
“Both vehicles were still drivable,” Lattanzio said.
Highway 22 was completely closed for roughly half an hour, then was re-opened for single-lane, alternating traffic until about 9 a.m., when the highway was opened for regular traffic.
Castlegar RCMP Cpl. Jason Olney said the cause of the original MVI was extremely icy roads.
