A five-vehicle crash on Highway 97 blocked traffic for about an hour in the vicinity of PGSS and Pine Centre Mall. It was 11:30 a.m. when the flow was restored to the main artery through the city.
According to early police analysis, it appears to have been caused by a northbound tractor-trailer unit that changed lanes in a way that trigger four other vehicles to crash into each other. One of those had a loaded snowmobile trailer in tow.
There were no serious injuries but several people who needed precautionary medical attention, said Prince George RCMP spokesman Cpl. Craig Douglass.
"With the cement meridian and the narrow lanes, we needed to put priority on getting ambulances to the victims," he said. "Some people were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries."
The ambulances and tow trucks, as well as the police crash analysis team, caused the main time delay for the highway closure.
"Most people in line were understanding and we thank them for their patience," said Douglass. "In these situations there is little we can do to speed up the investigation process. We must maintain the integrity of the scene and the safety of those involved in the response effort."
Because the tractor-trailer was a commercial vehicle and on a provincial highway, there are additional layers of investigation, said Douglass. A mechanical inspection for the rig is almost automatic, he added.
