January 9, 2011 12:52am
CALGARY -- Much of Alberta was blasted with brutal weather Saturday, with winter conditions believed to be a major factor in a multi-vehicle pile-up east of Calgary which left one woman dead.
Just before 1:30 p.m. a Greyhound bus, semi and several vehicles were involved in collisions along the Trans-Canada Hwy. near Strathmore.
Police were still trying to determine how the vehicles ended up colliding but believed some were likely trying to avoid a crash in their path seconds before they were pitched into the pile-up.
RCMP Sgt. Patrick Webb said a woman who was a passenger in one car died of injuries sustained in the collision.
There were 16 people on the Greyhound bus, and although the driver was initially pinned, no one was seriously injured.
Webb said the vehicles involved in the collision were believed to be eastbound at the time.
Winter conditions, he said, were "definitely a contributing factor."
The crash happened during a day when police in central and southern Alberta urged motorists to stay home.
While Calgary saw slick streets and blowing snow, Mounties in various parts of the province said wintry conditions -- including slippery sections, poor visibility and white-out conditions -- were so bad road travel was not recommended.
Saturday night, the Trans-Canada Hwy. was closed from Calgary to Bassano, Alta., and the town of Strathmore, Alta. declared a state of emergency when drivers became stranded.
Temporary lodging was opened at the Gleichen Hockey Arena and the Bassano Community Hall for drivers who became stranded while emergency officials searched for others stuck on the impassable road.
Calgary police also stopped all traffic eastbound at Stoney Tr. and the Trans-Canada Hwy.
Earlier in the day, in Calgary, a single-vehicle crash sent two people to hospital, said police Insp. Chris Butler.
In that incident, a minivan lost control on Sarcee Tr. near Richmond Rd. and slammed into a light standard.
The driver in his 30s or 40s and his father, believed to in his 50s who wasn't wearing a seat belt, were taken to hospital and are expected to recover from injuries.
Outside Calgary, a semi jack-knifed on the QE II northbound near Innisfail, Alta., which saw traffic re-routed for at least an hour.
By late afternoon, northbound and southbound lanes of the QE II were closed between Bowden and Airdrie given the extremely poor conditions.
Karen Daly was driving from Brooks to Calgary International Airport to pick up her daughter flying in from Ottawa when she was stopped at Bassano by police who informed her the road was closed.
After waiting at a gas station, she ventured to the Bassano Community Centre with about a dozen other people stuck in their travels.
"You couldn't see two feet in front of you," she said of the road conditions. "We were going 35 km/h."
Those stranded were given chairs and blankets and coffee and tea while they waited in the centre, said Daly, worried about her daughter.
"She will have to stay at the airport," she said.
Webb said crashes kept Mounties busy.
Webb said emergency crews, "not immune" to the same miserable and perilous weather conditions, faced challenges getting to scenes.
"For our own emergency services, it's very, very difficult to get onto these roads," he said
"We highly recommend people are prepared to spend hours -- if not longer -- in their vehicles in ditches. It will be difficult to locate them and then get to them."
Weather conditions are forecast to remain below normal averages for the rest of the week.
CALGARY -- Much of Alberta was blasted with brutal weather Saturday, with winter conditions believed to be a major factor in a multi-vehicle pile-up east of Calgary which left one woman dead.
Just before 1:30 p.m. a Greyhound bus, semi and several vehicles were involved in collisions along the Trans-Canada Hwy. near Strathmore.
Police were still trying to determine how the vehicles ended up colliding but believed some were likely trying to avoid a crash in their path seconds before they were pitched into the pile-up.
RCMP Sgt. Patrick Webb said a woman who was a passenger in one car died of injuries sustained in the collision.
There were 16 people on the Greyhound bus, and although the driver was initially pinned, no one was seriously injured.
Webb said the vehicles involved in the collision were believed to be eastbound at the time.
Winter conditions, he said, were "definitely a contributing factor."
The crash happened during a day when police in central and southern Alberta urged motorists to stay home.
While Calgary saw slick streets and blowing snow, Mounties in various parts of the province said wintry conditions -- including slippery sections, poor visibility and white-out conditions -- were so bad road travel was not recommended.
Saturday night, the Trans-Canada Hwy. was closed from Calgary to Bassano, Alta., and the town of Strathmore, Alta. declared a state of emergency when drivers became stranded.
Temporary lodging was opened at the Gleichen Hockey Arena and the Bassano Community Hall for drivers who became stranded while emergency officials searched for others stuck on the impassable road.
Calgary police also stopped all traffic eastbound at Stoney Tr. and the Trans-Canada Hwy.
Earlier in the day, in Calgary, a single-vehicle crash sent two people to hospital, said police Insp. Chris Butler.
In that incident, a minivan lost control on Sarcee Tr. near Richmond Rd. and slammed into a light standard.
The driver in his 30s or 40s and his father, believed to in his 50s who wasn't wearing a seat belt, were taken to hospital and are expected to recover from injuries.
Outside Calgary, a semi jack-knifed on the QE II northbound near Innisfail, Alta., which saw traffic re-routed for at least an hour.
By late afternoon, northbound and southbound lanes of the QE II were closed between Bowden and Airdrie given the extremely poor conditions.
Karen Daly was driving from Brooks to Calgary International Airport to pick up her daughter flying in from Ottawa when she was stopped at Bassano by police who informed her the road was closed.
After waiting at a gas station, she ventured to the Bassano Community Centre with about a dozen other people stuck in their travels.
"You couldn't see two feet in front of you," she said of the road conditions. "We were going 35 km/h."
Those stranded were given chairs and blankets and coffee and tea while they waited in the centre, said Daly, worried about her daughter.
"She will have to stay at the airport," she said.
Webb said crashes kept Mounties busy.
Webb said emergency crews, "not immune" to the same miserable and perilous weather conditions, faced challenges getting to scenes.
"For our own emergency services, it's very, very difficult to get onto these roads," he said
"We highly recommend people are prepared to spend hours -- if not longer -- in their vehicles in ditches. It will be difficult to locate them and then get to them."
Weather conditions are forecast to remain below normal averages for the rest of the week.