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This article was published 10/10/2009 (4977 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SNOW and slippery driving conditions that came with the first winter blast led to numerous multi-vehicle traffic collisions in and around Winnipeg on Friday night.

The collisions began at about 7 p.m., and for about an hour police, fire and paramedic crews rushed to give assistance across the city.

Winnipeg police and the RCMP urged motorists to slow down in the poor weather.

"The first winter storm is the worst one we have because the number of crashes goes up 10 times because everybody forgot to drive to conditions," Headingley RCMP Cpl. Larry Dalman said.

"We’re now at winter driving conditions. It’s not optimum driving conditions. Whatever the speed limit says, go slower. We’re just asking people to use common sense."

Chris Broughton, president of the Professional Paramedic Association of Winnipeg, said paramedics were being taxed to the limit.

"Winnipeggers should stay off the roads if they don’t need to be out. And with more snow predicted this weekend, we ask them to continue to use caution," Broughton said.

Twenty vehicles were involved in a collision on the Henderson Highway side of the Red River Bridge on the Perimeter Highway.

There were 15 cars involved in a collision at Lagimodiere Boulevard and Regent Avenue. Because of the slippery conditions, Winnipeg police closed Lagimodiere from Warman Road to Grassie Boulevard for about an hour until sanding vehicles could arrive.

There was a two-vehicle collision at Dugald Road and the Perimeter Highway, and north of the city, several vehicles collided on Highway 59 near the Lockport turnoff. One vehicle was flipped over and lying on its roof right on the highway.

RCMP reported another vehicle had been spotted in a ditch on Highway 67 near Stonewall.

They had not reported any fatalities or critical injuries by 9:30 p.m.

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning on Friday night for the area from Portage la Prairie north through the Interlake to Arborg, Hecla and Fisher River. The weather service was predicting up to 20 centimetres of snow would fall in the evening and overnight.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca