Upper Ottawa Valley Ontario Provincial Police are reporting that one person was transported to hospital with serious injuries and the highway remains closed following this morning’s crash on Highway 17 at Paquette Road.
Highway 17 between Paquette Road and Brindle Road in Petawawa is fully closed. The OPP is advising the public to avoid the area if possible or please follow the detour from Highway 17 to Messer Trail, then Paquette Road back to Highway 17.
“On Wednesday, June 4, at approximately 9:30 a.m., members of the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP responded to a collision involving a pickup truck and a transport truck with two tanker-trailers carrying fuel,” reads an OPP press release. “One of the tanker trailers is leaking because of the incident, requiring specialized environmental clean-up teams. The driver of the pickup truck has been transported via ORNGE to a regional trauma centre with serious injuries.”
OPP Technical Traffic Investigations and Reconstructionist are on scene, alongside the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of the Environment, working to assist with cleanup. There is currently no estimated time of reopening.
The investigation remains ongoing, anyone with information or dashcam footage of the incident is asked to contact the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.valleytips.ca.
“The OPP remains committed to public safety and thanks the community for their cooperation and patience,” reads the release.
(Sherry Haaima)