LACLOCHE ISLAND—Dramatic photos circulated on social media on Thursday of a fiery pileup on Highway 6, near the turnoff to Fisher Harbour on Lacloche Island.
Manitoulin Ontario Provincial Police Community Services Officer Marie Ford told The Expositor that the six-car pileup was likely caused by whiteout conditions in the area Thursday morning.
“There was a chain reaction of six vehicles,” she said.
A vehicle stopped behind a truck attempting to make a turn from Highway 6 and when the vehicles behind the stopped car also attempted to brake they were unable and either ended up in the ditch or collided with one another, Constable Ford explained. The vehicle that caught fire had collided with another vehicle.
Miraculously, only minor injuries were reported with one woman transported to hospital for evaluation.
“The message out of all of this is, in whiteout conditions, slow, slow down,” said Constable Ford. “If you’re not comfortable driving, you need to stay put.”
She also urged drivers to “always have your headlights on.”
The road was closed for just under an hour as the Northeast Town Fire Department attended the scene to douse one of the cars that was completely engulfed in flames.
The crash is still under investigation.
