Significant damage after transport drives into building in Listowel, Ont.
It’s not the way anyone in Listowel, Ont. planned on starting their morning, after a tractor trailer careened off Main Street, jumped the sidewalk, and plowed into the storefronts of a number of downtown businesses.
“Definitely an eye-opener for a Friday morning, an interesting way to start the weekend,” says Brendan Hall, store manager at Corley’s Sports, one of the businesses damaged.
Emergency crews were called to the scene of the downtown crash shortly before 8 a.m. to find part of the passenger side of the tractor trailer cab firmly embedded into the front doors of Diana Sweets Restaurant, in the heart of Listowel’s downtown.
“Luckily for us, Corley’s Sports, we didn’t have much damage. I’m really feeling for Diana Sweets and the Clothing Loft, hopefully they can come out of this OK,” says Hall.
Three residents living above the damaged storefronts were displaced by the crash.
The tractor trailer driver suffered non-life threatening injuries and was treated in hospital.
Police officials say they’re still trying to piece together exactly what led the tractor trailer to end up inside Listowel’s downtown.
“Luckily there were no other people involved. No pedestrians on the sidewalk that were impacted at the time. The mornings can be a busy time in Listowel, with kids on their way to school and other individuals here, so we are fortunate that no other vehicles or people were involved,” says Const. Jillian Johnson of the Perth County OPP.
CTV News London did speak to the owner of the trucking company involved.
The owner says the driver told him he wasn’t feeling well before the crash and passed out, waking up after he hit the building.
The owner added that the driver thinks he had a seizure, however emergency officials would not confirm details about the cause of the crash or state of the driver. An investigation is ongoing.
By mid-afternoon a tow truck had arrived to carefully remove the tractor trailer from the storefronts.
It’s not immediately clear how long the damaged businesses will remain closed, or the residents above the stores displaced. It could be days or possibly even weeks.
“It’s tough to say. They’re checking the structural integrity of the buildings, but for the time being, we’re probably going to be shut down for a bit, just with the damage alone,” says Hall.
The crash closed Listowel's Main Street for much of the day between Wallace Avenue and Livingston Avenue.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.