One man is dead after an early morning collision on an icy bridge led to a 19-car pileup north of Winnipeg.
RCMP reported that the crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, on the Red River Floodway bridge just south of Springhill Winter Sports Park. The crash was one of several to occur on bridges and overpasses in the capital region on a foggy and icy morning.
Mounties say that the initial investigation has revealed that a southbound vehicle lost control on the bridge’s icy surface, setting off a chain reaction of collisions involving 19 vehicles.
Upon arrival, officers from the Selkirk and Red River North RCMP detachments began re-routing traffic to prevent further incidents. Emergency responders, including local fire departments and ambulance services, were on site to aid motorists with minor injuries.
Police say that a 55-year-old man from Tyndall was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators believe icy road conditions were a factor in the collision. RCMP have not released any other details on injuries of others involved.
The Selkirk RCMP is requesting anyone who was travelling along Highway 59 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. with dash-cam footage of the incident to contact them at 204-482-1222.
The Selkirk RCMP and a Forensic Collision Reconstructionist are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.