Police have provided more details on a deadly crash that took the lives of two men from Steinbach Friday afternoon.
Jeff Duggan, Detachment Commander and Inspector for Kenora OPP, says they were first notified at around noon on Friday of the crash along the Trans-Canada Highway. They responded to the two-vehicle collision in the area of Clearwater Bay. Clearwater Bay is about 25 kilometres east of the Manitoba/Ontario border.
"OPP responded with Clearwater Bay Fire and Kenora ambulance," explains Duggan. "At the location, the officers found a two-vehicle MVC. Unfortunately, there were two fatalities."
Through social media, family has identified the two deceased men as Jon Martens and Colin Clay, both from Steinbach.
Duggan says the two deceased men were in the same pickup truck, which collided with a tractor-trailer. The driver of the tractor-trailer sustained injuries as well and was transported to Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora for treatment.
The crash remains under investigation and Duggan says they are not able to provide any further details on what caused the collision or whether it was head-on.
Duggan says as a result of the crash, the Trans-Canada Highway was closed all the way west to the Manitoba/Ontario border. He notes the reason for that is because it is a two-lane highway and there are no emergency detours in that area.
That portion of the Trans-Canada Highway was completely shut down until Friday at 8 pm when police were able to reopen one lane.