The snow and icy conditions caused chaos for commuters in Nanaimo Monday morning.
A number of streets across the city were too icy to safely drive on.
The weather left drivers struggling this morning on Nanaimo’s Tahoe Avenue
“With the rain, we had right before this I think it all probably flash froze and then the snow on top so you’re kind of done one way or the other,” said Michael Medley, who recorded the video of the collision.
Neighbours blocked the road at the top of the hill but a truck towing a trailer came up from the bottom.
“On his way sliding back down he ran into the van that got hit already once and he jackknifed,” said Medley.
Police and firefighters spent the morning blocking off slippery streets after crashes occurred.
“There was approximately six cars at the bottom of the hill all sort of slid down slowly and piled into one another,” said Acting Captain Mark Overton with Nanaimo Fire Rescue.
They reopened once city trucks could clear and salt the roads.
Marisa Street in Nanaimo’s south end was also a mess.
“All morning since traffic started flowing cars have been sliding down the hill into each other. Somebody else parked at the bottom and somebody else parked at the bottom and since then those cars kept getting hit, said Bradon Senft.
“And then a garbage truck tried coming up the hill and about halfway up started sliding backwards and crashed every car on its way down.”
Neighbours shut down the road themselves. They say the hill has seen multiple crashes every winter since the road was built five years ago.
“Theis one’s been a really really bad one. If they could put this on the route for getting it salted right away. There’s a lot of houses on this road,” said Mike Fournier, another neighbour.
The city says it has all of its 26 pieces of equipment out focussing on priority routes first. It says it’s best to stay home on the mornings like today but if you are going out to pre-plan.
“Plan your routes. If you can avoid any of the hills that we have and we have a lot of them but if there’s another way around that take that route,” said John Elliot, Nanaimo’s Director of Public Works.
The city also says drivers need proper snow tires and to slow down when conditions are icy. This comes as Environment Canada warns more snow is on the way.
Kendall Hanson
