2 dead, 5 injured in Hwy. 17 crash

An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle is pictured in this file image. (File photo/Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police | Photo credit: Bobb Barratt)

Two people are dead and five others were sent to hospital following a two-vehicle crash on Highway 17 near Kenora on Saturday afternoon.

Ontario Provincial Police responded to the “serious collision” involving an SUV and a pickup truck at about 12:15 p.m. on Aug. 23.

The driver and passenger of the SUV, a 76-year-old woman from Dryden and a 68-year-old man from Ottawa, were pronounced deceased at the scene.

The five occupants of the pickup truck were transported to hospital with what police described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Highway closed for hours for investigation

The collision prompted a full closure of Highway 17 in both directions between Kimberley Road and Longbow Lake Road, causing significant traffic disruptions.

In a social media post at 1:56 p.m., the OPP advised motorists to “please avoid the area and plan alternate routes if possible,” warning that a “lengthy closure is expected.”

OPP provided regular updates on social media, directing traffic to use Highway 17A as an alternate route and noting there were “no options to turn around once in the area.”

The highway remained closed for more than seven hours while OPP investigators and emergency crews worked at the scene.

It was reopened at about after 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening.

“The investigation remains ongoing,” said OPP in a news release Sunday.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage from the area around the time of the incident to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.