‘How much can we take?’ Woman who survived fiery crash near Carberry becomes 16th fatality as Dauphin prepares for community memorial service By: Chris Kitching Posted: 11:07 AM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 21, 2023 Last Modified: 4:58 PM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 21, 2023 Updates

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The death toll has increased to 16 following last week’s crash involving a minibus and tractor-trailer, delivering a fresh blow to the grieving city of Dauphin ahead of Thursday’s community memorial service.

RCMP said a woman who died Tuesday had been in hospital since the June 15 collision, which happened at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5, just north of Carberry.

“It’s pretty hard to take,” Dauphin Mayor David Bosiak said of the 16th death. “It’s almost like you’re in a fight and you’re defeated and you’re down, and you get another punch in the gut.

“It’s just that sense of, man, how much can we take? But, at the same token, we have to get through this.”

“It’s just that sense of, man, how much can we take? But, at the same token, we have to get through this.”–Dauphin Mayor David Bosiak

The other 15 victims died the day of the fiery crash, which was already one of the deadliest collisions in recent Canadian history.

The death toll matches that of the 2018 collision involving members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team near Armley, Sask.

Twenty-five people — 19 women and six men — were on the wheelchair-accessible minibus, which was taking a group of mostly seniors to the Sand Hills Casino from Dauphin.

The driver and passengers ranged in age from 58 to 88.

Of the nine survivors who remained in hospital Wednesday, four were in critical condition, a Shared Health spokesman confirmed.

“Shared Health and Prairie Mountain Health would like to express our condolences to the family and friends of the patient involved in the collision who succumbed to her injuries (Tuesday),” the spokesman said in a statement.

The patients — five women and four men — range in age from 60s to 80s. The bus driver was among those hospitalized.

Four of the dead and one of the people in hospital attended the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Resurrection in Dauphin, the Very Rev. Oleg Bodnarski confirmed.

Bodnarski said the losses have hit his congregation hard, but they are working through it with prayer and companionship with each other.

“It is a big loss to our parish,” he said. “They were all very dedicated people and involved in the church. They were pillars of the church.

“They helped whenever help was needed.”

Bodnarski said the women could be counted on to bake bread for communion services.

“They would bake the bread at home and then they would cut it up for communion,” he said. “It was just one way they would help.”

“It is a big loss to our parish… They were all very dedicated people and involved in the church. They were pillars of the church.”–Very Rev. Oleg Bodnarski

Bodnarski said one of the women was in the choir and her family, several members who are from out of town, came to the church this week just to see where she had prayed and to be in a place where she had been many times.

“Last Sunday, after the service, we lit 15 candles for the people who had died and lit 10 candles for the living,” he said.

“Dauphin is a small community and we know each other. Some people I had very close relations with while others I knew their families through hockey. This is a tragedy, but we are strong and we will pray for the health of those in hospital and for their families.

“Our faith will keep us going.”

RCMP have said the bus was headed south on Highway 5 when it crossed into the path of a tractor-trailer, which was eastbound on the Trans-Canada Highway and had the right of way, shortly before noon.

The bus was owned by Dauphin-based Quality Care Transit.

Investigators have interviewed some of the survivors while trying to determine what led to the crash.

The driver of the semi-truck, who was released from hospital last week, has also been spoken to.

RCMP are scheduled to hold a briefing in Dauphin Thursday to publicly identify the people who died.

In the evening, residents will gather at a community memorial at the Ukrainian Orthodox Hall.

Funerals are being planned for the 16 victims, who lived in and around Dauphin. The first is to be held Saturday.

Obituaries for some of the dead were published online, providing glimpses into who they were and how they lived.

In the comments section under an 87-year-old woman’s obituary, former students fondly remembered her as their Grade 3 teacher.

Mourners who attend a different 87-year-old woman’s funeral liturgy next week are asked to wear something orange, coral or a bright colour.

Some funerals will not be open to the public.

Amid the outpouring of support from across Canada, people have asked Bosiak if there is an official fundraiser or other way to help the survivors and the victims’ families.

He said community members have been discussing the best way forward while considering the needs of those involved and their loved ones, but there is nothing official yet.

Officials in Humboldt have provided guidance based on the lessons they learned.

Bosiak said a delicate balance is happening in Dauphin, which has a population of more than 8,000.

While residents grieve, “the world continues around us, and we can’t lose sight of that,” he said, citing a number of upcoming events or projects.

Located about 300 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, the community is preparing for a high school graduation ceremony next week.

Dauphin’s Countryfest, which attracts thousands of country music fans and is one of the area’s biggest events, starts June 30.

Organizers were scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss how to acknowledge the tragedy and pay tribute to the victims. A moment of silence will be part of those plans, said Kamryn Winters, the event’s assistant general manager.

Counselling is being offered to a wide range of people affected by the tragedy, including witnesses to the crash or the aftermath.

Some witnesses told the Free Press on Wednesday they were doing “OK” or trying not to think about what they saw.

“My thoughts have been mainly for those who survived and the families of the victims,” said Caroline Bleackley, a truck driver from Vernon, B.C.

She was among the eastbound drivers who were guided to a service road that was used as a detour.

“My thoughts have been mainly for those who survived and the families of the victims.”–Caroline Bleackley, truck driver

Emergency workers were tending to victims and the bus was on fire when she passed the scene about 160 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

“As a commercial driver, I feel like it has affected me in such a way that, even though I consider myself a safe driver, I am more mindful and cautious while out on the road,” said Bleackley.

She hopes something is done to increase safety at and around the intersection.

Premier Heather Stefanson has said the province will be open to making changes, if necessary, following a review.

— with files from Kevin Rollason

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching

Chris Kitching
Reporter

Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.

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