In the early hours of Wednesday, a horrifying two-vehicle collision in Ottawa’s east end resulted in the loss of two lives and left a woman with life-threatening injuries.
Emergency response teams were swiftly dispatched to the intersection of St. Laurent Boulevard and Montreal Road at 12:25 a.m. in response to the incident. Vojka Orsag, a resident in the area, recounted hearing a deafening bang during the night. Upon investigation, she was shocked to witness a massive fire at the scene and a multitude of police personnel arriving from all directions.
Initial reports from Ottawa fire indicated that one of the vehicles involved had struck a pole, igniting a blazing inferno. Firefighters arrived at the crash site to find both vehicles engulfed in flames. One of the cars was completely consumed by the fire, while the other had a fire burning in its engine compartment, with the driver trapped inside, according to Ottawa fire sources.
Brave firefighters worked diligently to extinguish the raging fires and then proceeded to extract the trapped driver from one of the vehicles. The injured driver was immediately handed over to waiting paramedics for urgent medical attention.
Tragically, despite the valiant efforts of emergency responders, two adult males lost their lives at the scene. They were identified as a 41-year-old man and a 44-year-old man. Additionally, a woman involved in the crash sustained critical injuries and was promptly transported to the hospital by Ottawa paramedics for intensive medical care.
Videos shared on social media shortly after the collision depicted one of the vehicles engulfed in flames, situated several hundred feet away from the intersection. Images captured at the scene on Wednesday morning exhibited the extensive damage to both vehicles and a traffic light pole.
Ottawa police confirmed the incident and announced that the Collision Investigation Unit would be conducting a thorough investigation into the fatal crash at the intersection of St. Laurent Blvd. and Montreal Rd. Due to the ongoing investigation, the roads in the vicinity will remain closed for an extended period.
Authorities are appealing to the public for any information related to the collision. The Ottawa Police Service Fatal Collision Investigation Unit is actively seeking witnesses and dashcam footage to aid in their inquiry. If you have any pertinent information, please contact them at 613-236-1222, extension 2345.
As a result of the tragic accident, St. Laurent Boulevard is closed from Clarke Avenue to Dunbarton Court, and Montreal Road is closed from Eglise Street to the Aviation Parkway, causing significant disruptions in the area.