'My heart aches for them': co-owner of bus company involved in Carberry crash extends sympathy

The co-owner of thebus company involved in the crash that killed 15 peoplenear Carberry, Man., says there are no words to describe what happened.

"I just want to let everybody know that my heart aches for them. It really does," Ashlee Harvey, co-owner ofQuality Care Transit in Dauphin, told CBC in an interview Saturday.

Fifteen of the25 people onboard one of the company'sbuseswere killed Thursday morning, after it was hit by asemi-trailer truck on the Trans-Canada Highway. The busload of people mostly seniors had been en route fromthe Dauphin Active Living Centre totheSand Hills Casino, located near Carberry.

Dauphin, a cityof 8,000 people, is about 250 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. The casino is about 150 kilometres south of the Dauphin.

Kim Armstrong, administrator for Dauphin Active Living Centre, said about 500 people use the centre throughout the year.

Its programs mostly caterto seniors and many of them love to visit the casino, she said, noting she spoke with some of thembefore they left on Thursday.

"They were excited to have a nice day away and then tragedy" hit, Armstrong said.

The RCMPconfirmedthe semi had the right of wayafter reviewing dashcam footage from thelarger vehicle.

A spokesperson for Shared Health, Manitoba's provincial health agency, confirmed Saturday morning that the 10 patients who weretransported to hospitals in Brandon and Winnipeg remain there.Six are in critical care.

The co-owner of Quality Care Transitand the driver of the 24-seatbusis one of them, Harvey confirmed.

She said theystarted the company in 2022.

Manitoba Public Insurance told CBC in a statement that in order to drive a bus with a seating capacity over 24 passengers in the province a driver is required to hold a Class 2 licence.

Thatis considered a professional driver's licence in the province.

Shared Health is encouraging anyone impacted or affected by the crash to contact its general mental health crisis support line at 1-888-379-7699.

Severity of Manitoba crash weighs on responders, Dauphin fire chief says

1 year ago

Duration 1:46

Dauphin fire chief Cameron Abrey said his department is offering support to the first responders, some of whom are volunteer firefighters, who were on scene at the deadly crash involving a bus and a semi near Carberry, Man.

Support for the Dauphin communityis available at Credit Union Placeon Saturday until 5 p.m. CDT.The support centre's hours in the days ahead will be made public when it's available.

Harvey saidshe knowsthose who hadfamily onboard the bus are going through a lot right now.

"But I still feel guilty because it's my company," she said."All our clients were like family."