Semi wedged into Kelowna townhouse after crash
Two residents trapped on their balcony had to be rescued by firefighters after a semi truck and trailer crashed into their building this morning.
According to a Kelowna RCMP media release, the semi collided with the townhouses at the corner of Cameron Avenue at Gordon Drive today, April 11.
The driver of the semi truck also had to be extricated from the wreckage by firefighters and was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.
The semi is now wedged into the building and will not be removed until structural engineers have been consulted.
The Kelowna Fire Department says an adult female and an infant were home at the time of the incident but were not injured. The adult was taken to hospital but later released.
The two residents above were trapped on a second-floor balcony and rescued with a ladder.
Power and gas have been shut off as a safety precaution.
The westbound lane of Gordon Road is closed due to the crash and police say they are "exploring ideas" on removing the trailer portion to open the road fully.
"The RCMP is currently investigating this event to determine what exactly happened and we are thankful to report that there are no injuries," Kelowna RCMP spokesperson Const. Mike Della-Paolera said in the release.
Residents will not be allowed back into their homes until a structural assessment has been completed. The media release gives no indication of how long this may take.
The incident took place at roughly 10:30 a .m. and anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has dash-cam video is urged to call the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference RCMP file number 2023-19146.
— This story was updated at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, 2023, to add information from the Kelowna Fire Department.
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