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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.