Winnipeg driver witnesses horrific crash west of Kenora

RCMP are pleading with drivers to slow down on Manitoba highways following several deadly crashes. Joseph Bernacki has more.

Winnipeg’s Shane Young said he very easily could have died in a fiery crash on the Trans-Canada Highway Tuesday just west of Kenora, Ont.

“I almost missed that,” Young said.

“I keep thinking if it was me in front, what would have happened? You start thinking all sorts of things. Like I’d be dead instantly, so I wouldn’t have felt it.”

Young was returning to Winnipeg from Kenora early Tuesday afternoon. What was supposed to be a leisurely drive home, turned into a nightmare behind the wheel.

About 100 yards ahead of him on the highway, Young watched a small car and semi-truck collide in front of him.

“A huge explosion, big fireball, unbelievable,” he said.

Ontario Provincial Police said a 32-year-old man from Winnipeg was killed.

Young said he was the only one around and got out of his car to help. He soon realized there was nothing he could do aside from calling 911.

“I saw the driver from the semi was out of the vehicle, which I think you can see on video — and I knew whoever was in the head-on collision with a car would not be alive,” Young said.

This wasn’t the only serious collision on the roads Tuesday.

Near Ste. Anne, RCMP said four people were taken to hospital at the corner of Highway 12 and Provincial Road 210.

“It’s a very dangerous crossing,” said Bob Saindon, Ste. Anne fire chief.

“We go there multiple times a year. Sometimes multiple times a month, even.”

RCMP said the number of collisions and fatalities over the past week is concerning. Two people died in a collision in Arborg last Friday, one person died in a collision near Garson on Sunday, and another person passed away in a collision near Roblin, Man.

“This year from January to the end of May, we’ve had 23 fatal collisions, which is the same number we had last year at this time,” said Cpl. Melanie Roussel with Manitoba RCMP.

“This year, though, we have 27 deaths, but last year we had 24 deaths.”

The RCMP is reminding drivers to slow down and follow the rules of the road. Last year, RCMP said there were 63 fatal collisions and 69 total deaths.

Young is grateful he got home safe Tuesday.

“Everyone that knows me, I always say every day that’s above ground is a good day and today is one of those days,” Young said.

CTV News reached out to Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) to find out information on the number of collisions that have taken place in the province outside of the City of Winnipeg.

A spokesperson for MPI tells CTV News there have been 16,695 collisions reported year to date outside of the city. A month-to-month breakdown includes 4,172 in January, 3,339 in February, 3,426 in March, 3,102 in April, 2,591 in May, and 65 recorded in June as of June 3.

The spokesperson said, “While contributing factors for most 2026 collisions are still under investigation, consistently, year over year, MPI continues to see that certain high-risk behaviours remain the leading contributors to collision fatalities on Manitoba roads, including speeding, distracted driving, impairment, and failure to wear seatbelts.”