Serious semi collision on Highway 1 west of Calgary sends 2 to hospital, icy roads to blame

Cochrane RCMP responded to the scene of a serious two-vehicle crash west of Calgary Tuesday night.

Just before 6:30 p.m., RCMP said westbound traffic on Highway 1 was being diverted near Range Road 50 and that would remain the case for several hours.

A semi truck hauling a trailer and an SUV were involved in the crash.

In a Wednesday update, RCMP said officers from the Cochrane detachment, alongwith EMS and Rocky View County Fire Services, arrived on scene and found the two people in the SUV were suffering from serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

They were taken by ground ambulance to hospital. The semi driver was not hurt, police said.

Weather and road conditions were the main contributing factor in the collision, police said.

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RCMP said winter weather conditions are affecting the roads, including the Trans Canada Highway, with black ice and changing conditions impacting visibility and surface traction.

Multiple collisions were reported in the Cochrane area Tuesday evening. Between 4 and 9 p.m., RCMP said emergency crews in Rocky View County responded to about 15 collisions that ranged from single-vehicle rollovers to multi-vehicle pile ups.

There’s a heavy snowfall warning in the region and Environment Canada said 10 to 20 centimetres is forecast to fall over the next 24 hours.

As the poor weather conditions continue Wednesday with icy roads, snow, wind and limited visibility, motorists are advised to be careful when driving, or stay home if travel is not absolutely necessary.