'Never seen them stuck on there': Transport truck lands on highway median in Campbell River, B.C.
A commercial truck driver escaped serious injuries after the rig he was driving ended up on top of a concrete barrier Wednesday morning in Campbell River, B.C.
The southbound rig, owned by GFL Environmental out of Cumberland, B.C., wound up on the barrier that divided Highway 19 between Willis Road and 14th Avenue in Campbell River after the driver apparently experienced a medical issue.
"I talked to the driver and he was choking and trying to stay in his lane, and the truck obviously hit the 'no-post' and climbed up on there and ruptured a fuel tank," said a commercial driver who was stuck in the highway closure.
The accident shut down two northbound and two southbound lanes for several hours as crews dealt with a fuel spill along the highway and tried to figure out how to remove the rig from its unusual location.
The stuck transport truck is pictured in Campbell River, B.C. Aug 10, 2022. (CTV News)
Don Bachmier, road foreman for Mainroad Contracting’s Campbell River region, says the fuel was contained to the highway and didn’t make it into nearby drainage ditches.
"We’ve got a fuel spill that we’re responding to with the local fuel response team and we have both lanes [closed] due to that," he said. "We can’t let anybody track that fuel down the road more than necessary."
On Wednesday morning, Bachmier said the plan was to eventually open up the slow lanes in both directions before being able to fully clear the rig – an operation that was expected to take between four and eight hours at a minimum.
Removing the truck was made more difficult because the rig was located underneath power lines which crossed over the highway.
"With the power lines here we won’t be doing any lifting at all, we’re going to have to be doing some pulling with the big wrecker," he said.
The truck was empty at the time of the crash and Bachmier says the spot it ended up was highly unusual.
"I’ve never seen them stuck on there, they usually go over or through [the barrier]," he said. "I’ve never seen them stuck on the middle."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.