UPDATE: The OPP says the potentially hazardous material has been contained and the remaining cleanup is minimal. Highway 69 may be open to traffic later this evening.
A couple of crashes have spilled chemicals into the Key River and left an OPP officer with serious injuries.
Shortly before 6:00am this morning, a member of the West Parry Sound OPP responded to a car accident involving two transport trucks on the Key River Bridge on Highway 69.
The responding officer was exposed to a potentially hazardous chemical and was taken to the hospital by Parry Sound EMS as a precaution. Both lanes of Highway 69 between Parry Sound and Key River are closed because of the crash.
Later on, a second officer was directing traffic on Highway 400 near Parry Sound because of the crash at Key River. While in her cruiser with all emergency lights activated, she was hit by a northbound car. The officer was seriously hurt and was taken to the hospital by EMS. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured.
The crash is still under investigation and Highway 400 northbound between exit 229 and Highway 559 at exit 241 in Nobel remains closed. The OPP says the chemical spill isn’t a threat to public safety at this time. Emergency crews are on the scene. The truck drivers were not injured. Information will be released as this story develops.
Detours are in place for northbound traffic on Highway 69. They take you to Highway 124 to Highway 11 and for southbound traffic on Highway 69 take Highway 522 to Highway 11.