Fatal accident on Hwy. 11 related to storm

*UPDATE* : Provincial Police have identified the victim in that multi-vehicle pile-up south of Ramore Thursday morning. They say he is 42-year-old Marcel Perreault  of Timmins.

Highway 11 near Butler Lake was closed until about 3:00am today, 17 hours after the crash.

You’ll want to think twice about travelling on the highway, during and immediately after this winter storm.

By early Thursday afternoon, OPP were reporting a fatal accident on Hwy. 11 near Butler Lake, south of Ramore.  They also had Hwy. 11 closed between New Liskeard and Hwy. 101 from Timmins to the Quebec border.

DON’T CALL OPP FOR ROAD CONDITIONS

If you insist on driving out there and want to know the road conditions, the only call you need to make is to Ontario 5-1-1. Do not call the OPP.  Leave their lines open for reporting collisions and other weather-related highway mishaps.  Constable Stéphanie Bélec says Ontario 5-1-1 is constantly updated.  It and the OPP are also online.

“We try as much as possible to update our Twitter posts and Facebook to let drivers know that the highway’s been closed for either safety reasons or because of a motor vehicle collision,” she explains.  “Your best bet is to call the 5-1-1 or check the internet.”

“If you absolutely have to be driving, make sure that you’re leaving a lot of room between you and the vehicle ahead of you; slow down; drive according to the weather, the road conditions.”

And ask yourself whether risking your life is worth it, or if your trip can be postponed.