Two people are dead following a collision involving five vehicles in southeast Edmonton Wednesday afternoon.
The collision happened just before 1:30 p.m., at the intersection of 50 Street and 34 Avenue.
Alberta Health Services said EMS crews responded to the five-vehicle collision at 1:18 p.m. One of the vehicles involved was a Co-op Taxi.
Police said the investigation is preliminary at this time, but believe a 90-year-old woman driving a Toyota Camry was heading east on 34 Avenue “at a high rate of speed” when she went through a red light, colliding with a Dodge Caravan minivan that was heading north on 50 Street.
The Camry continued east through the intersection, collided with a Toyota Prius, which police said was stopped in the southbound turn lane on 34 Avenue.
The force pushed the Prius into a Toyota Rav 4 that was stopped in the westbound lane on 34 Avenue. That vehicle then stuck a Ford F-150 that was stopped in the lane next to it, according to police.
The 90-year-old woman driving the Camry died at the scene, police said. The 56-year-old man driving the Dodge was also killed, according to police.
Police on scene told Global News the 90-year-old woman’s vehicle caught fire.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said its crews were called to the scene by EMS at about 1:20 p.m.
Firefighters arrived on scene minutes later and extinguished the vehicle that was on fire, EFRS said.
AHS said a man in his 20s, a man in his 50s and a woman in her 60s were all taken to hospital in stable condition.
At 2:35 p.m., Edmonton Transit tweeted to say bus routes 53 and 508 were being detoured around the collision.
Just before 5 p.m., Edmonton police said they anticipated the intersection would remain closed for another three hours. Shortly before 10 p.m., they said the intersection had been reopened.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477
