Multi-vehicle crash north of Regina leaves 5 dead

Five people are dead and two people were taken to hospital following acrash this morning north of Regina.

Three vehicleswere involved in the Highway 6 collision that killed three men and two women, RCMP said.

The accident happened around 10 a.m. CST Tuesday, about 15 kilometres north of the city.

RCMP spokeswoman Mandy Maier said officers are determining the identities of the fiveso they can contact the next of kin.

Two cars and a truck were involved, and RCMP provided the following information about the people who died:

• A male driver of a Chevrolet Avalanche.
• A female driver of Subaru Outback and three passengers, one female and two males.

Aman and a woman in a third vehicle, a Ford Focus, were taken to hospital with injuries.

Traffic was rerouted around the accident scene for several hours as officers investigated. About 4 p.m. RCMP said the three vehicles involved in the crash had been removed and the highway was open in both directions. RCMP added that motorists should drive with caution as winter conditions exist.

A photograph released by the RCMP showed two vehicles seriously damaged and a truck on top of one of the cars.

Police haven't saidwhat might have caused the crash but noted the weather conditions.

"There's drifting snow [and] blowing snow," Maier said.

It snowed around Regina overnight, and the Saskatchewan Department of Highways and Transportationsaid there werewinter driving conditions on that stretch of the highway, but there was no official word on whether that might have been a factor in the crash.