By Melissa MacIntosh-Young, Reporter
Freezing rain combined with rapidly dropping temperatures created hazardous driving conditions across the county Saturday night, leading to several vehicles sliding off roadways.
One incident involved a Lamont County fire truck that lost control and left the roadway on Highway 15 between Bruderheim and Lamont.
The incident occurred as road conditions deteriorated due to icy surfaces caused by the freezing rain.
When ask for a statement regarding the accident, Lamont County Communications Coord-inator, Jay Zaal commentated, “Freezing rain started at approximately 8:30 p.m. last night. All indications are that ice was 2 inches thick on most roads within 20-30 minutes and this significantly impacted road conditions.
“I can confirm a Lamont County Emergency Services truck was involved in an incident/rollover. All firefighters appear to be uninjured.
“Crews and the RCMP responded to numerous incidents on HWY15 and HWY16 during last night; clean-up is still underway,” said Zaal. “We advise motorists limit travel during unsafe conditions and as scenes are cleared.
“Four of our five stations were deployed during this significant weather event to keep the roads safe.”
When asked what the impact of the lost truck would be to the town of Bruderheim, he replied “From the other questions, we are confirming all details and impacts, including around damages and vehicle updates as this is assessed, the next steps are TBD”.
Officials continue to remind drivers to use caution during winter weather events, as freezing rain can quickly turn highways and secondary roads into dangerous travel corridors.
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