Massive hail smashes windshields, injures drivers on Alberta highway
Grapefruit-sized hail smashed multiple windshields and stranded some unlucky travellers south of Red Deer on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway as a storm tore through the area on Monday.
Vehicles lined both sides of the QEII between Red Deer and Innisfail on Monday evening, waiting out a severe storm that had also caused multiple tornado warnings and watches throughout the day.
RCMP confirmed that multiple people sustained minor injuries in the incident and three were more significantly harmed — one man got a cut on the side of his neck, a woman had a panic attack and another man “went into shock,” Mounties said.
Several cars were damaged with officers taking photos of 34 damaged vehicles’ licence plates as they attempted to get a handle on the situation, but the total number of vehicles impacted could be upwards of 60, according to Alberta RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Gina Slaney.
“They don’t have exact numbers yet because it was so much chaos,” said Slaney. “Those numbers might change.”
While Mounties never closed the road, traffic stalled on the highway as the storm passed over as drivers pulled
over to wait out the storm. Slaney said paramedics were first on scene around 6:30 p.m., calling for RCMP assistance upon arrival.
Courtnenay, B.C., Mayor Bob Wells, on a family road trip through the area, was among those trapped on the highway Monday evening. He hosted a brief Facebook live showcasing the damage to his van a sunken windshield, blown-out sunroofs, dents all over the vehicle’s exterior and the rear passenger’s window smashed.
“Did a pretty good number on the van here,” he said.
Red Deer man Matt Berry was also caught up in the storm. He said he was leaving a golf course in Innisfail, noting the looming clouds and weather alerts.
As he crested Antler Hill, he noticed several cars parked along the side of the road and some smaller hail beginning to fall. As soon as he pulled over, “that’s when it really started hammering down.”
“Once the hail started coming down on the windshield, which took the brunt of it, you’re scared that it’s going to start coming through,” said Berry. “Glass was flying everywhere on me, so I kind of just kind of ducked and covered until my glass stopped shattering.”
All told, Berry said the worst parts of the storm lasted about eight minutes. He said
ambulances, fire crews and Mounties arrived soon after and several Good Samaritans passing by after the storm were offering rides to those stranded on the highway.
The Red Deer area is forecasted to get more rain and storms throughout the week, though Environment Canada had not issued any new weather alerts warning of more severe storms passing through as of Tuesday morning.