A community is in crisis and the OPP still have a lot of unanswered questions about a crash that killed five people north of Sioux Lookout over the weekend.
A northbound SUV plunged from a bailey bridge on Slate Falls Road into Brokenmouth River Saturday evening killing five Slate Falls community members including former chief Gordon Carpenter, 55.
The vehicle was discovered on its roof by a passerby who reported it to the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service.
With no eye witnesses and a remote location, the bridge is 15 kilometres south of Slate Falls and 130 kilometres Northwest of Sioux Lookout, OPP Sgt. Shelley Garr said the investigation is just beginning.
“We don’t know at this point if alcohol was a factor or speed was a factor. We’re looking at whether seatbelts were being used. We still have many questions,” she said.
It’s also unclear whether there was something structurally wrong with the bridge but it will be inspected as part of the investigation.
Slate Falls chief Lorraine Crane said her community of around 200 is in a state of crisis after losing Carpenter, 23-year-old Kimberly Whiskeyjack, 23-year-old John Bighead, 26-year-old Samantha Loon and 20-year-old Claudia Loon.
Not only did they lose young community members but three of the victims were parents of young children, Crane said.
