A portion of the Trans-Canada Highway southbound through Duncan was closed for an extended period of time on Saturday evening following a multiple-vehicle collision south of the Sherman Road turnoff.
Four vehicles were involved, but the primary concern for responders was that a pickup truck that ended up in a ditch next to the highway may have been carrying hazardous materials.
The truck had an “explosives” sign on the tailgate.
Southbound traffic was rerouted via Drinkwater, Lane and Sherman roads while fire, ambulance and police crews attended to the incident.
“The driver of the pickup was a licenced blaster so he was carrying explosives,” confirmed North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Krista Hobday. “Everything was properly marked, tagged and stored.”
Police were able to transport the explosives safely and hold them until the driver, a 34-year-old Saanich man, could retrieve them.
He was transported to hospital by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.
Hobday explained the crash occurred after the driver of an unknown vehicle slammed on its brakes to avoid ducks crossing the highway.
“A black Ford Flex travelling in the left lane braked quickly to avoid hitting the car in front of him that suddenly braked for ducks,” Hobday said. A white Ford Fusion then rear-ended the Flex.
The driver of another vehicle swerved into the right lane to avoid the Fusion but it caused the Saanich man driving the Silverado carrying explosives to take evasive action to avoid being sideswiped.
That’s when a blue Chevrolet pickup truck slammed into the Silverado pushing it into the west-side ditch.
Four vehicles in total were damaged, with two requiring a tow truck.
“The vehicle that stopped for the ducks left the scene and we can’t ascertain if they even knew what was going on behind them,” Hobday said.
One baby duck did not survive the ordeal.