A serious traffic accident occurred in the central Canadian province of Manitoba on June 15. Fifteen people have been killed and 10 taken to hospital after a semi-truck collided with a bus carrying mostly elderly people, police said.
It happened near the town of 卡伯里镇, about 170 kilometers west of Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba province. According to local RCMP reports, a semi-truck traveling east on the Trans-Canada Highway 1 struck a southbound bus at the intersection of the local Highway 5 shortly before noon. The passengers on the bus were mainly elderly people from the town of Dauphin, nearly 200 kilometers away.
Television media footage showed the front of the semi truck severely damaged, with only the wheel hub is left on the right front wheel. In mobile phone video footage broadcast by witnesses, the bus that was knocked off the road was in flames and billowing black smoke.
Rescuers from across Manitoba and neighbouring Saskatchewan are on the scene. A number of ambulances and helicopters were also deployed. Police confirmed in the afternoon that 15 people had died and 10 were injured in varying degrees, and said the number of casualties could change.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed concern about the accident through social media platforms, describing it as an unbelievable tragedy. He also expressed his condolences to the victims and condolences to the injured. Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said the national flag had been lowered to half-mast at the provincial parliament building to honor the victims of the crash.
The cause of the accident is yet to be investigated. The police major crimes unit has taken over. Police also revealed that the drivers of both vehicles survived the accident and were being treated in hospital.