One man was seriously injured in a collision between a pickup truck and double fuel tanker last Wednesday that resulted in the closure of Highway 17 for about 28 hours, causing a massive traffic disruption. Eventually, traffic was rerouted through Garrison Petawawa property which borders both sides of the highway, but long lineups and delays of several hours were reported.

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Petawawa – A two-vehicle crash last Wednesday morning that saw one victim airlifted to Ottawa hospital by ORNGE Air ambulance from hospital in Pembroke, forced the closure of the highway for more than a day.

The collision between a pickup truck and a double-trailer fuel transport resulted in a full closure of Highway 17 between Paquette Road and Brindle Road, and required the repaving of some of the highway.

Members of the Upper Ottawa Valley Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to the collision at approximately 9:30 a.m. The Town of Petawawa Fire Department also responded and based on the location and its proximity to Garrison Petawawa, the Garrison Petawawa Fire Department also responded to the scene.

“Upon arrival, emergency crews encountered a two-vehicle collision involving a transport truck carrying two trailers of diesel fuel, which had rolled over and was fully engulfed in flames,” Petawawa’s Acting Deputy-Chief Jamie Knott reported.

“Firefighters from the Town of Petawawa Fire Department extricated the driver of the passenger vehicle, while Garrison Petawawa Fire Department initiated fire suppression using a specialized aircraft firefighting foam vehicle,” he added. “Their rapid intervention successfully prevented ignition of the fuel tankers, despite the fire impinging on the tanks.”

Both departments coordinated efforts to fully extinguish the fire and mitigate further hazards. Crews also worked diligently to confine and contain a significant fuel leak from one of the trailers.

“The Laurentian Valley Fire Department provided tanker support to ensure an adequate water supply during operations,” Chief Knott said.

Both drivers involved in the collision were treated and transported to hospital by County of Renfrew Paramedics. The driver of the pick-up truck later transferred to a regional trauma centre with serious injuries.

Fire crews remained on scene into the evening hours to ensure the safe transfer of fuel from the damaged trailers. Agencies supporting the response included the OPP, Renfrew County Paramedics, Military Police, Garrison Petawawa Environment, Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO), and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. OPP Technical Traffic Investigations and Reconstructionist were on scene, alongside the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of the Environment, working to assist with cleanup.

A detour through Garrison Petawawa was put in place for more than 24 hours, creating long lineups and lengthy waits for motorists. There were reports of employees from Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) waiting up to several hours to travel home.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police.