A Saskatoon veterinary diagnostics laboratory is mourning the death of an employee who died in a fiery multi-vehicle crash in central Alberta earlier this week.
Yaoqin Wang was a “highly loved,” experienced lab technologist, according to Yanyun Huang, the interim CEO of Prairie Diagnostics Services Inc.
“It is really sad news for our whole company,” said Huang.
Three people died and 10 others were injured in Tuesday’s crash that involved at least 10 vehicles on Highway 9 near Cereal, Alta. Alberta RCMP confirmed the three people killed were from Saskatoon.
Investigators said a semi-truck that was hauling fuel ignited in the crash and the flames spread to several vehicles. A second semi involved was carrying butane. The collision area was “consumed with flames,” according to police.
Global News has also learned Enwu Liu, Wang’s husband, also died in the crash. RCMP confirmed the couple’s daughter was also travelling with them and was one of two people airlifted from the scene in critical condition. She remains in hospital.
Dawn Zhou met Liu and Wang in the mid-1990s. She said she succeeded Liu as the president of the University of Saskatchewan’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association.
Liu also served as the principal of the Saskatoon Chinese Language School for eight years, according to Zhou.
“Enwu and Yaoqin worked hard and love their daughters very much,” she said.
Nanfang Zhao and Qiaoqin Yang were friends of the Wang and Liu and visited the crash site on Thursday to say a final goodbye to the couple they describe as well-loved and heavily involved in the Saskatoon Chinese community.
“On behalf of the Chinese community, thanks for their contributions to the community,” Yang said through tears from the side of the highway Thursday.
“We are so sad to hear the bad news. We all love them and remember them, we just pray God to bless their kids.”
A member of Saskatoon’s Chinese community himself, Huang described Wang and her family as “well-connected” in the close-knit circle of people.
Around her 70-person workplace, people are remembering Wang’s positive personality.
“People really miss her and treat her as a sister,” Huang said.
The third person killed was travelling in a separate vehicle, according to police.
— With files from Global News’ Heide Pearson