Three people are dead after a two-vehicle collision near the Confederation Bridge in New Brunswick Tuesday morning.
According to an RCMP release, a westbound ambulance collided with an eastbound transport truck on July 7, shortly after 9 am on Route 16 in Melrose, a community in Strait Shores.
The driver of the ambulance, a 56-year-old man from Warren Grove, P.E.I., along with the two passengers, a 77-year-old woman from Montague and a 23-year-old woman from Nine Mile Creek, died at the scene as result of their injuries, said RCMP.
Health PEI confirmed in a statement two of the victims were paramedics, while the third was a patient in their care.
The transport truck driver, whose age or identity were not disclosed, was taken to hospital with what police believed to be serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Both vehicles have been sent for mechanical inspection.
An RCMP collision reconstructionist, a member of the New Brunswick Coroner’s office and several provincial governmental organizations also attended the scene. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
Premier of Prince Edward Island Rob Lantz issued a statement on Tuesday, saying “today, all Islanders are grieving.”
“The tragic loss of two Island EMS paramedics and the patient they were caring for has left our entire province in shock and mourning,” stated Lantz. “On behalf of the government of Prince Edward Island, I extend my deepest condolences to their families, friends, colleagues, and to everyone whose lives they touched.”
“This is an unimaginable tragedy for every family affected and for the many first responders, healthcare professionals, and emergency personnel who responded,” he stated.
