Manitoba crash victims being called beautiful, kind people by those who knew them

We’re learning more about the 25 people who were either killed or injured in the tragic collision on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Winnipeg, in what’s being called one of the worst collisions in the province’s history.

Some of those involved in the tragic crash – which killed 15 seniors from Dauphin, Manitoba and sent 10 more people to hospital – are being called beautiful people by those who knew and worked with them. Locals say it has sent shockwaves through the Manitoba community.

“It’s a very sad day in Dauphin, a very sad day,” said Sharon Shumski, a Dauphin local who says she knows some of the victims through both home care and the community.

“Everybody in Dauphin here is affected. The whole town. Everybody knows somebody who was on that bus, I’m sure,” she said.

Shumski, who says she does not know the status of the people she knows on the bus, would not name them out of respect for the families and the ongoing RCMP investigation but said the entire situation is a tragedy, saying she was told of up to five people she knows who may have been affected.

“They were beautiful people. Just beautiful people. Really nice people,” she said. Adding later: “They felt like family to me. Some of them were my friends.”

RCMP were called to the crash scene at roughly 11:40 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 5 saying when officers arrived on the scene, it was “immediately” apparent they were dealing with a mass casualty situation, with RCMP deploying all available resources.

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Officials indicate the semi-trailer was heading eastbound on Highway 1 and a bus carrying mostly seniors was headed southbound on Highway 5 when the collision occurred. Police say it appears the bus crossed the westbound lanes on Highway 1, but was struck by the semi while crossing the eastbound lanes.

She said it’s her understanding the seniors on the bus would have been from the St. Georges Place and Mountain View Villa senior communities and were headed to the Sand Hills Casino near Carberry, an outing she said they would have looked forward to.

“They were friends. They were good people,” she said.

She recalls how some of the people involved were known to her from community dances in Dauphin as well, saying everyone in Dauphin is rallying around the families of those affected.

“Dauphin is not a very big place, and we all know somebody, and when something this tragic happens, our hearts go out to them,” she said, saying she too is still waiting for updates on friends and community members.

She added: “The ones I knew were just beautiful people. Like what a tragedy. To me it’s just a tragedy. When I woke up this morning, the first thing I could see, was that bus burning and that accident.”

RCMP Major Crimes is has now taken over the investigation.