Three motor vehicles accidents (MVA) last Wednesday, January 5th on the highways near Golden proved that the winter road conditions are at their worst.
A crash between two semi trucks early Wednesday morning closed the Trans Canada Highway between Golden and Lake Louise. One semi had pulled over so the driver could chain up and the second semi crashed into it. The highway didn’t re-open until 10 am on Wednesday. The two semis, one carrying plywood and the other bologna and ham products, caught on fire and emergency crews moved the wreckage off the side of the road as soon as possible. The fire burnt well into the next day.
No one was injured in the accident, which the Golden RCMP called “miraculous”.
Field Fire Rescue responded to two other MVA’s on Wednesday, one five kilometers west of Field and another at the bottom of Field hill. Field’s Fire Chief Sean Coubrough said it was one of the busiest weeks he has seen in a while when it comes to road accidents.
“We have to remember that it’s winter and we have to drive according to the conditions,” said Coubrough. “Even if the road looks clear, there could be black ice anywhere.”