Six people are dead following a head-on collision near Jasper, Alberta on a Tuesday evening. Bystanders provided first aid and CPR on the victims.
Fatal collision
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the collision happened at around 5 in the afternoon on Highway 93 at Honeymoon Lake. It is about 60 kilometers south of the Jasper town area and 5 kilometers south of Sunwapta Falls.
A van was heading north on the highway when it collided with a vehicle going south. Both vehicles immediately caught fire. Inside the van was a family of five. They were from the United States and were visiting the area. Some people in the area immediately provided first aid on the victims. Two of the people inside the van were declared dead.
The other two were immediately provided initial first aid and CPR by some bystanders. They were immediately brought to the hospital for further treatment. A toddler was not injured and also taken to the hospital.
According to the police, it was a miracle that the toddler, a two-year-old boy has survived with no injuries. The Americans were from Louisiana and Texas and were all family members.
On the other hand, the vehicle that was going south with four people inside were all dead.
A third vehicle, who tried to avoid the collision, swerved and ended up in the ditch. Two passengers suffered only minor injuries. They were provided with first aid by paramedics.
According to Sgt. Rick Bidaisee of the RCMP, members of the public were very helpful in saving lives and helping everyone as much as they could. We are very grateful for the bystanders who did not hesitate in helping the victims.
According to a resident from Colorado, they were in the area when the incident happened, said bystanders, including her husband and herself, did not hesitate and helped the two people whose vehicle ended up in the ditch. They pulled the two passengers inside and provided them with first aid.
The fire spread very fast to nearby forested areas. Bystanders gathered fire extinguishers, water and shovels to stop the flames. Later a helicopter equipped with bucket arrived and pour water over the flames. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a course on first aid and CPR and for more information, check out these sources:
https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/bleeding-cuts-wounds
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation
https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/cardiopulmonary-resuscitation-cpr-treatment