Big cleanup after massive truck collision in Rockies

The Trans-Canada Highway through the Alberta Rockies remained closed most of Thursday after three people died in a chain-reaction collision involving five semi-trailer trucks Wednesday night.

Police said speed and wintry conditions were likely contributing factors in the accident that occurred two kilometres west of Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

The three people killed were riding in the same vehicle, RCMP Const. Brad Malacko said Thursday.

Five people from four other rigs received non-life-threatening injuries in the crash near the mountain community best known for its world-class ski hill and breathtaking scenery.

One trucker was airlifted to a Calgary hospital, suffering from broken bones, another was taken to hospital in Banff and was then released, while three others were treated at the scene for scrapes and bruises, Malacko said.

Police are still investigating the cause of the collision along the highway, a main route for transport trucks. The highway remained closed Thursday while crews worked to clear the debris.

"Basically you have five semis, all loaded, and you've got cabs from the vehicles detached from chassis and things everywhere, and that's the way it looked," Malacko told CBC News.

"From there, a second westbound semi collided with the two first involved in the impact, then a second eastbound semi collided with that," he said.

5th truck wound up in the ditch

The driver of a fifth semi managed to avoid hitting the huge jumbled pile of transport trucks but struck some debris and hit the ditch, Malacko said.

Road conditions at the time weren't particularly icy and the area had not had snow in the 24 hours prior to the collision, he said.

Police are investigating whether excessive speed or mechanical issues may be factors.

"He was probably going a bit too fast for the road conditions," Malacko said. "Basically, we're in the mountains and we have winter driving conditions. People need to drive for winter driving conditions."

Trucker John St. Laurent told CBC that he saw the five trucks collide. Once he was able to stop, he said he immediately called out to other trucks using his radio, telling them to slow down coming around a blind turn.

"It isn't so much the speed as the road condition. You can't stop," St. Laurent said.

Fire departments from Lake Louise and nearby Field, B.C., rushed to the scene, along with at least two ambulances.

The highway was a mess of wreckage from the transport trucks and the road was littered with debris from the loads the trucks were hauling, Malacko said.

Traffic rerouted most of the day

While crews were working to remove debris from the roadway Thursday, westbound traffic was being diverted onto Highway 93 on the Alberta side into British Columbia.

Traffic going east through Golden, B.C., was being diverted onto Highway 95 south to Radium, and then north on Highway 93 to Castle Junction.

It was expected that the road might reopen late Thursday, but Parks Canada spokeswoman Janet Klock said travellers should expect delays.

"Once it does open, it's going to be pretty backed up, right, because this has been closed since like 9:30 last night."

Klock said motorists should learn from this accident and travel at slower speeds.