Six people were treated for injuries after a multi-vehicle collision north of Calgary on Monday afternoon.
First responders were called out to a crash near Highway 581 on the southbound lanes of Highway 2 east of Carstairs.
While crews were attending that incident, another collision occurred.
Carstairs Fire Department chief Jordan Schaffer said a southbound SUV rear-ended a Carstairs fire truck. He said the department’s 2012 Ford F-150 was severely damaged and the volunteer members suffered minor injuries.
Both firefighters as well as three other people in the crash were taken to Didsbury Hospital with minor injuries. A tow truck driver was also treated for injuries at the Airdrie Urgent Care Centre.
Schaffer said it’s frustrating to hear about another fire truck being hit while responding on the side of an Alberta highway. He said a Didsbury Fire Department truck was struck in January north of Monday’s scene.
“Unfortunately the laws aren’t strong enough. We need more supports on the highways,” Schaffer said. “This is the second hit we’ve been dealing with. We had a fire truck that was hit on Jan. 23. We were on a call with the Didsbury Fire Department and one of their engines was rear-ended also.”
Schaffer said knowing that two of his members were injured on Monday is worrisome.
“It’s very, very tough because our members are volunteer firefighters, so a lot of these guys left their homes doing whatever the work they were doing and are expected to perform the same tasks as the full-time firefighters,” Schaffer said. “It’s a great task these guys do and we really appreciate what they do.”
It’s believed that blowing snow on the highway may have contributed to the initial collision.
Another collision involving a semi trailer also occurred in the southbound lanes of Highway 2 near Highway 72 on Monday afternoon. One patient was taken to hospital with minor injuries.