Storm leads to mass collisions on Manitoba highways

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This article was published 17/01/2025 (347 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s Emergency Management Organization issued its first alert for hazardous road conditions after a blizzard slammed the southern part of the province and caused pileups on highways on Friday.

The emergency alert that was issued shortly before 12:15 p.m. asked motorists to avoid driving on all southern Manitoba roadways after visibility was reduced to near zero due to high winds and many highways had been closed.

“Priority on the roadways needs to be given to emergency vehicles as there have been a high number of accidents, which is currently challenging Manitoba’s emergency response teams,” said a news release issued by the province. “It is illegal to travel on closed roads, and motorists could be subject to a fine.”

Prior to the alert, there were several reports about collisions involving a high number of vehicles. RCMP estimated there were at least 50 crashes, involving two or more vehicles, and dozens of single-vehicle collisions.

One woman was rushed to hospital in critical condition. She’d been hit after getting out of her vehicle following a pileup on Fermor Avenue near Plessis Road, RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre said.

A Facebook post about the pileup, at the Plessis overpass near the CN Rail Symington Yard, showed multiple vehicles, including large trucks and a semi-trailer, were involved.

Manaigre could not confirm the woman’s condition as of late Friday afternoon.

“Pretty much every detachment within an hour or two of Winnipeg is dealing with accidents,” Manaigre said.

The Winnipeg Police Service said late Friday morning that drivers should avoid both the north and south sections of the Perimeter Highway “at all costs.”

The WPS said dozens of vehicles had been involved in collisions on the eastbound lanes of the south Perimeter and that officers were helping RCMP with road closures in the area between Fermor and Plessis.

Both sections of the Perimeter were reopened Friday afternoon.

Health Sciences Centre issued an alert at 10:45 a.m. that advised staff to prepare for the possibility a “code orange” could be issued. It is made when a hospital responds to a potential sudden influx of patients.

Ste. Anne Hospital and Bethesda Regional Health Centre were under “code orange” and took in patients from a multi-vehicle collision near Ste. Anne.

A video posted online reported “around 100 vehicles” in a ditch on Highway 12 south of Ste. Anne.

Shared Health emergency crews responded to a number of motor vehicle incidents across southern Manitoba, a spokesperson said in an email.

“The number of injured and the severity of their injuries is still being determined,” they said. “However, we can confirm that a number of patients have been, or are in, the process of being transported to various hospitals and health centres across the province.”

Reports of other mass collisions were shared on social media Friday morning.

On Facebook, a user on a Winnipeg group reported a pileup involving about 20 vehicles on Highway 9 north of Winnipeg, near Miller Road in West St. Paul.

“Highway conditions are extremely hazardous today, with many roads and highways currently closed across the province,” Manitoba RCMP said in a post on X. “Please avoid travel if possible to protect yourself and others.”

The blizzard shuttered schools, reduced home-care service and forced the cancellation of a homicide sentencing hearing in Winnipeg because the inmate couldn’t be transferred from jail in Headingley.

Strong winds, with gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour at the height of the storm, began to ease in the afternoon.

Southern Manitoba is forecast to plunge into a deep freeze over the weekend, with a low of -25 C overnight into Saturday and a wind chill making it feel closer to -36 C.

City crews were slated to start plowing Winnipeg’s major streets, sidewalks and pathways at 7 p.m.

The cleanup will be based on the city’s street priority system.

“Motorists should drive to conditions and use extreme caution when near heavy equipment,” the city said in a release, as it reminded residents the annual winter route parking ban is in effect.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca