A truck accident near Renfrew has led to the closure of Highway 17 until early Thursday, spilling fluids close to the icy Bonnechere River, as reported by local police and the Environment Ministry.
According to Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the highway was shut down around 1:45 p. m. Wednesday between Bruce Street and O’Brien Road.
The crash involved a single vehicle that lost axles from its trailer, causing an unspecified amount of fuel to leak, as stated by OPP on Wednesday. Firefighters worked to manage the spill while notifying the ministry.
On Thursday, officials revealed that approximately 500 litres of diesel fuel and 200 litres of other fluids leaked onto the highway. It is believed that some of these fluids may have flowed into the river below.
“Frozen conditions at the time of the accident are expected to have limited the widespread environmental impacts,” noted the ministry.
Ontario’s Ministry of Environment is among those responding to the crash. (Ontario Provincial Police)
Video footage from the scene shows the truck’s trailer resting precariously on top of a bridge parapet.
Police indicated that the driver was taken to a hospital for precautionary measures.
Authorities mentioned that reopening Highway 17 would take some time due to necessary checks on a nearby bridge by transportation officials. Meanwhile, Renfrew Mayor Tom Sidney said many drivers would need rerouted through town.
Around 12:45 a. m. Thursday, police confirmed that Highway 17 had reopened.
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Motorists were advised to choose an alternate route. (Mathieu Deroy/CBC)
What are local leaders saying?
Fire services and public works teamsfrom neighboring Horton also joined in response efforts alongside OPP, according to Horton Mayor Daina Proctor...
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. An image shows a transport truck trailer hanging over the Bonnechere River after losing its rear axles during the crash. (Submitted by Daina Proctor) Both Proctor and Sidney emphasized once again how crucial it is to widen this section of Highway 17 near Renfrew, noting three fatalities have occurred there this year alone.</...... “The safety of this road has only gotten worse, not due to poor infrastructure but because more vehicles are using it,” Proctor pointed out. She mentioned that over 20,000 vehicles pass through daily in this area.</. In February, plans were announced by provincial authorities for expanding Highway 17 from two lanes to four between Renfrew and Arnprior….. The province did not provide any specific construction timeline for this project…. Both Proctor and Sidney expressed hope that this incident might push provincial officials towards speeding up plans for widening Highway 17.
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. An image shows a transport truck trailer hanging over the Bonnechere River after losing its rear axles during the crash. (Submitted by Daina Proctor) Both Proctor and Sidney emphasized once again how crucial it is to widen this section of Highway 17 near Renfrew, noting three fatalities have occurred there this year alone.</...... “The safety of this road has only gotten worse, not due to poor infrastructure but because more vehicles are using it,” Proctor pointed out. She mentioned that over 20,000 vehicles pass through daily in this area.</. In February, plans were announced by provincial authorities for expanding Highway 17 from two lanes to four between Renfrew and Arnprior….. The province did not provide any specific construction timeline for this project…. Both Proctor and Sidney expressed hope that this incident might push provincial officials towards speeding up plans for widening Highway 17.
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