A small SUV collided with a power pole along East Wellington Rd. just after 12 p.m. on Thursday, causing a closure of the road while crews dealt with downed power lines. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

traffic issues

SUV splits BC Hydro pole in crash along Nanaimo’s East Wellington Rd.

Jan 26, 2023 | 12:37 PM

NANAIMO — A driver luckily avoided more serious injuries following a single-vehicle crash.

Calls to 911 came on Thursday, Jan. 26 just after 12 p.m. as a grey SUV lost control while travelling eastbound on East Wellington Rd., near the Westwood Rd. intersection, hitting a BC Hydro pole and shearing it off.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue acting captain Jody Lucas said on scene the lone occupant, an adult woman, got out herself and was tended to on scene. The driver was eventually taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital by paramedics.

“She is conscious and as far as we know did not lose consciousness, so she knows where she is.”

Lucas was unable to speculate to a cause of the crash or the specific nature of the woman’s injuries.

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The incident caused significant traffic and power issues in the area.

Crews closed both directions of East Wellington Rd. near Westwood Rd. and advised the closure would be for an extended period of time due to live electrical wires and the integrity of surrounding poles.

BC Hydro expected about 1,600 BC Hydro customers without power in the Jingle Pot area won’t have power restored until about 10 p.m.

Originally more than 2,500 BC Hydro customers were impacted as a result of the crash.

Reports were also made regarding impacted internet service.

Riley Prout witnessed the mid day crash and called 911.

He told NanaimoNewsNOW he saw the vehicle out of the corner of his eye as he approached East Wellington Rd. from Westwood Rd.

Prout said the vehicle smacked directly into the pole.

“Doesn’t flip, kind of goes up on its nose, lands back down on its wheels. [I saw] a piece of the power line roll down the road, pulled my car to the side of the road and called 911.”

Prout said the driver opened her door and “flopped out onto the road” with other witnesses telling her to stay calm and kept her warm with jackets.

He added he wasn’t sure why the vehicle was so close to the side of the road to begin with.

Nanaimo RCMP were on scene investigating the cause of the incident.

Traffic was blocked at the East Wellington Rd. overpass to the Nanaimo Parkway, due to a motor vehicle incident near Westwood Rd. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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