Driver killed, Fortis Alberta employees injured in highway crash east of Calgary

A file photo of an RCMP cruiser. (Sean Amato/CTV News Edmonton)

RCMP say one person was killed and several others were injured in a three-vehicle crash on a rural highway east of Calgary on Monday.

The collision occurred on Highway 550, just outside of the village of Duchess, Alta., at 9:30 a.m.

RCMP say two Fortis Alberta vehicles were parked on the shoulder of the highway when they were hit by a large work truck.

The driver of the truck, a 25-year-old Taber, Alta., man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the deceased," Brooks RCMP said in a news release.

The Fortis employees were outside of their vehicles at the time, conducting electrical repairs in the ditch. RCMP say several of the them were hit by debris from the crash, which caused one to suffer serious injuries.

Monday night, Fortis released the following statement:

"FortisAlberta is deeply saddened by the passing of a driver involved in a motor vehicle incident that occurred on June 26, 2023, at a temporary work site where a power line crew was working along Highway 550, just outside the Village of Duchess. We extend our sincere condolences to the individual’s friends and family following this tragic outcome.

"Two parked FortisAlberta vehicles were struck by a large non-company affiliated truck as employees performed work in the right-of-way adjacent to the highway. The accident resulted in the fatality of the driver of the third-party vehicle and non-life-threatening injuries to two FortisAlberta employees.

"FortisAlberta’s top priority is the safety of our employees and the public. We are working closely with authorities to provide any information required for their investigation."

The crash closed Highway 550 between Highway 36 and Duchess for several hours.

The village of Duchess is located about 170 kilometres east of Calgary.