Three people were injured, one of them critically, in a two-car head-on collision on Prince of Wales Drive Sunday morning.
Paramedics reported one man was transported to hospital in critical condition, while a man and a woman were taken to hospital in stable condition. In an update Monday, the Ottawa Police Service said one man in his 80s was reported to be in life-threatening condition.
First responders were called at 8:51 a.m. to the 2200 block of Prince of Wales Drive, near Hunt Club Road, for reports of a head-on collision with occupants trapped.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the vehicles with extensive damage about 50 metres apart.
Both drivers were trapped in their vehicles.
“As a precaution, crews advanced a hose line and worked alongside Ottawa Police as the roadway was shut down to allow safe operations,” Ottawa Fire Services reported.
Firefighters stabilized the vehicles and began simultaneous extrication efforts. Using specialized hydraulic rescue tools, crews safely extricated the first driver at 9:05 a.m.
The second trapped driver was freed 15 minutes later.
The rescue involved removing the driver’s side door and performing a dash roll, “a technique used to lift and pivot the vehicle’s dashboard away from the driver’s legs to free them safely.”
Firefighters de-energized both vehicles before clearing the scene.