By Jeremy Fraser
March 27, 2015
A late winter storm walloped the Cape Breton Regional Municipality this past Sunday causing many cancellations, closures and delays.
Snowfall totals in Sydney Metro and Cape Breton County reached 59 cm during the storm, the biggest one-day snowfall since 1964 in the area.
The storm was also the cause of a 14-vehicle pileup on the River Ryan bridge in River Ryan. Members of the Cape Breton Regional Police, Scotchtown Volunteer Fire Department and EHS responded to the incident at about 3 p.m. on Sunday, at the time visibility was zero.
John MacPhail was involved in the accident.
He couldn't see the accident until it was too late, said MacPail.
"It was scary situation. I didn't expect there to be a pile up on the bridge.
"I should have known better, living in the area all my life, I know it can be a bad area."
Six people were sent to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The section of Union Highway and Seaside Drive between Lingan Road and Gardiner Road was closed until early Monday morning as conditions improved.
It was the right decision to close the section of highway, said Cape Breton Regional Police Chief Peter MacIssac.
"Safety was our main concern at the time. We didn't want the accident to get any bigger.
"We know the closure cause problems for the morning commute, but most people understand."
Following the snow and high winds, the storm also brought freezing rain to the area Monday, and by the afternoon additional snow was falling.
Many businesses in CBRM, including in New Waterford, were shut down until noon or closed Monday. Although students within the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board were on March break, NSCC's Marconi campus and Cape Breton University were closed for the day.
Transit Cape Breton and Marine Atlantic ferry crossings, between North Sydney and Newfoundland and Labrador, reported cancellations and delays because of the weather conditions.
On Wednesday, another storm rolled through the area bringing whiteout conditions and a winter storm warning, causing many businesses to once again close for the day.
Although the cold temperatures are expected to last throughout the month of April, spring official arrives today, Friday, at 7:45 p.m.
The scene of a 14-vehicle pileup on the River Ryan bridge, caused by blizzard conditions this past Sunday. The incident occurred at about 3 p.m., at the time visibility in the area was zero. Photo by Jeremy Fraser - New Waterford Community Press.
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