Too early to say what factors led to Disraeli crash, police say

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This article was published 19/01/2012 (5322 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg police said it’s too early to speculate on what factors contributed to a fatal crash off the Disraeli Bridge that killed a 19-year-old woman.

Const. Chris Wingfield said police have not determined whether things such as speed and winter driving conditions played a role in the crash. Witnesses said the road was slippery at the time of the crash, but Wingfield said he does not know whether the bridge had been sanded.

“The investigation is very much in its early stages,” he said.

The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday when police said an SUV travelling southbound on the bridge lost control, struck another vehicle and crashed through a protective guard rail. The vehicle fell 45 feet to the riverbank below.

After the crash, witnesses peered over the edge and watched as construction workers with PCL, who were working on the ongoing overhaul of the bridge, approached the wreckage and tried in silence to assist the victim.

Within minutes, dozens of rescue vehicles converged on nearby Talbot Avenue, near a path to the riverbank. After labouring for about 40 minutes and using the Jaws of Life, firefighters and paramedics were able to extricate the woman from the vehicle.

The crash sent a 19-year-old woman, the lone occupant of the SUV, to hospital, where she was later declared dead. Police have not identified the woman, but a Facebook memorial has been set up in honour of Kaitlyn Fraser.