Girl, 7, and man, 63, killed after semi drives into row of cars at Manitoba highway construction site

A seven-year-old girl and a 63-year-old man are dead and 15 others were injured after a collision west of Winnipeg Thursday morning, when the driver of a semi-trailercrashed into a row of vehicleswaiting to pass through a construction zone, Manitoba RCMP say.

Five passenger vehicles, two semi-trailers and one motorcycle were involved in the crashon Highway 2, Mounties said in a news release on Friday.

They say the vehicles were stopped in the eastbound lane in a construction zone about three kilometres east of Fannystelle, Man. a community about 50 kilometres west of Winnipeg waiting for direction to safely drive through. Aneastbound semi failed to stop and drove into the line of vehicles, police say.

Carman RCMP responded around 11:50 a.m., the release said.

The seven-year-old Winnipeg girl killed was in one of the passenger vehicles, while the 63-year-old St. Andrews man was on the motorcycle, the release said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Fifteen people were injured in the crash. Six of those two adults, two kids under the age three and two others under the age of 16 were taken to hospital, the release said. One of those adults and one of the children under three have since been released.

A 22-year-old woman, a 14-year-old girl and a 10-year-old girl are still in hospital with serious injuries, the release said.

The 56-year-old driver of the semi-trailer that crashed into the row of cars was arrested at the scene and is still in custody.

The Saskatchewan man is charged with two counts each of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing death and criminal negligence causing death, the release said. He is also charged with three counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm.

Carman RCMP, the criminal collision investigation team, a forensic collision reconstructionist and a provincial motor carrier enforcement officer are investigating the crash, the release said.