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A section of the Trans-Canada Highway near Southern Harbour, N.L. reopened shortly after 7:30 p.m. NT in both directions after being shut down for several hours on Friday.
The RCMP said around 12:30 p.m. NT on Friday that both directions were closed just east of Jack’s Pond, near the exit to Southern Harbour. The closure remained in effect for hours as first responders responded to the scene, the RCMP said.
In a 7:37 p.m. update, the Clarenville RCMP thanked drivers for their patience, and asked that they continue to drive with caution due to slippery road conditions.
During the closure, there were no detours available.
There were few details available about the collision on Friday.
Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, media relations officer for the N.L. RCMP, described the crash as serious and said it involved at least two vehicles.
“Details from the scene are limited at this time as the collision investigation is in its early stages,” he said in an email.
Around 2 p.m., the police service said on social media that the highway remained impassable and was expected to remain that way for “an undetermined period.”
Poor road conditions
Carla MacIssac was among the drivers caught up in the closure on Friday.
She ultimately backtracked to Goobies, where others were also spending the time at the service stations.
Conditions on the roads were poor, she said.
“It was raining very hard and the ruts were quite wet. You had to be careful when you were driving,” she said, adding that for the most part, drivers she saw were driving appropriately.
She said she saw eastbound traffic lined up almost to Arnold’s Cove.
Police also asked the public to delay travel plans.
“RCMP N.L. recognizes this closure is causing significant disruption and appreciates the public’s patience, understanding and cooperation as emergency responders continue their work at the scene,” the RCMP said.
In an update before 6 p.m., the force reminded people that 911 is for emergencies only and asked that people not call that number for information on road closures.
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