Two children were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following a collision between a van and an SUV at the south entrance to Warman on Wednesday, April 20. (Note: an initial report on this website incorrectly stated it was a collision between an SUV and a half-ton truck.)
Warman RCMP, Warman Fire Rescue and EMS paramedics responded to the collision, which occurred shortly after 2:00 p.m.
The intersection of Highway 11 southbound lanes and Township Road 384 was blocked for about 45 minutes, as emergency responders assessed several patients.
Warman Fire Chief Russ Austin said when emergency responders arrived on scene, they found a full-size Chevy Express van had collided with an SUV.
“Each vehicle was carrying a load of young people,” said Austin. “There were teenagers in the van and children under 10 in the SUV. There were total of nine people altogether in both vehicles, including three adults.”
Austin said it was fortunate that everyone in both vehicles had their seat belts on. The collision occurred “at full highway speed,” and airbags were deployed.
He noted that there was no entrapment, so no extrication was necessary.
At the time of the collision, Warman Fire Rescue first responders were told by EMS dispatch that there was only one ambulance available.
“We triaged everyone at the scene to evaluate which patients would be taken to hospital first, and they all triaged ‘green’ – which is the way we run it out,” said Austin. “But two children were taken to hospital for precautionary purposes. Their injuries are not life-threatening. It could have been much worse.”
By the time first responders had assessed all the patients, a second ambulance unit had been freed up in Saskatoon and was deployed to the scene. The two children taken to hospital were transported in separate ambulances by Medavie paramedics.
The collision scene was fully reopened to traffic by 3:00 p.m.
Warman RCMP continue to investigate the collision.