One of the truck drivers involved in a fiery crash near Radisson Wednesday night says he is lucky to be alive.
Irvin Manovich says he had parked his truck on the side of Highway 16 when he was rear-ended by a second truck. He said it felt like a jerking motion.
“I didn’t know what was going on.... happened to look outside the driver’s window and saw a truck slide by me in a ball of flames,” he told CTV.
RCMP say the crash happened around 9 pm, several kilometers north of Radisson. Manovich’s truck was clipped by another semi, also heading westbound on Highway 16. The second truck burst into flames, and flipped on its side. Several people managed to get its injured driver out of the cab before it was engulfed in flames. Manovich was one of those helping to care for the injured driver, a 38-year-old man from Ontario, and keep him warm while waiting for firefighters and ambulances to arrive.
"I kind of covered him up and tried to keep him warm and tried to keep him responsive,” he said. The man was taken to hospital – police say his injuries are not considered life threatening.
Manovich’s truck was loaded with paper and cardboard. The other truck was loaded with scrap metal. The fire quickly spread through both trucks, and the flames could be seen for kilometers.
Manovich said he was worried about an explosion from his fuel tanks which were filled with diesel fuel. However, firefighters from Radisson, Borden and Langham arrived and managed to get the fire out after about an hour.
Thursday morning there was still wreckage smouldering at the side of the highway.
Despite his near brush with death, Manovich says he plans to be back on the road soon.
"After new years,” he told CTV. “I got to be back at work. I’m the kind of guy who likes to be on the road and keep himself busy.”
Still, he says he will remain thankful he was spared from tragedy.
