On Sept. 13, passengers waiting to cross the lake at Kootenay Bay Ferry Terminal were subject to an alarming scene.

At approximately 2 p.m., a commercial cement truck crashed at the terminal due to brake failure gong down the hill.

鈥淭he driver turned the runaway vehicle in front of the docked ferry, flipped it, and crashed,鈥� said Karin Macaulay, an eyewitness. 鈥淪omehow he was able to avoid all the other vehicles and people in the terminal.鈥�

The driver was trapped in the vehicle until emergency responders arrived on scene and were able to cut open the roof. After an approximate 45-minute delay, the ferry loaded the waiting vehicles and left once the site was secure.

鈥淎s the ferry pulled away, we could see that the driver was being pulled out of the wreckage,鈥� said Macaulay.

The driver was badly injured and airlifted to hospital via helicopter. The Creston RCMP have been unable to provide an update on the man鈥檚 condition.

Officers determined there was no criminal element to the crash and have turned over the investigation to WorkSafe BC.

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