(DRYDEN, ON) – On May 25, 2014 shortly before 7:00 am, officers of the Dryden Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a serious motor vehicle collision involving two vehicles on Highway 17 near Eagle River, west of Dryden, ON.
The collision occurred when a westbound Ford automobile collided with an eastbound tractor trailer flat deck unit. Both the male driver and male passenger of the Ford automobile died as a result of the collision. Names are not being released at this time pending notification of next of kin. A post mortem has been scheduled to take place at the Lake of the Woods District hospital on Monday May 26, 2014. The driver and passenger of the tractor trailer unit were not injured.
Agencies on scene assisting the local detachment members included Dryden ambulance and fire emergency personnel, OPP North West Region Highway Safety Division (HSD), Ministry of Transportation (MTO), Transfield Services (Ontario) Ltd., and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
The highway was closed to allow the OPP Technical Traffic Investigators from Thunder Bay and Kenora to conduct their investigation into the cause of the collision. The highway opened to one lane after noon today and then completely reopened just after 6:00pm.
The collision remains under investigation. There are no charges laid. Further information will be released as it becomes available.