A motor vehicle collision involving a suspected mobile meth lab led to a commuting nightmare Wednesday afternoon and evening in Colwood.
Traffic was snarled, backed up and rerouted around Colwood during the evening crush of traffic as fire and hazardous materials crews dealt with the incident at Veterans Memorial Parkway and Sooke Road.
The crews checked on a small red car that collided with another vehicle. Chemicals found in the red car caused concern.
“The nature of the incident, the occupants of the vehicle did not stay on scene, the manner in which the materials were being transported, and there’s a few other indications that the RCMP are looking into ... led us to take an abundance of caution in this incident,” Colwood Fire Department Acting Chief John Cassidy told CHEK News.
West Shore RCMP did not return calls seeking comment.
Dave Rogers, president of B.C. Hazmat, said he had been told there may have been dangerous chemicals present at the scene.
His team was on standby while the Capital Regional District hazmat response unit dealt with the issue.
Rogers said at one point the chemicals present at the scene were unknown so the “degree of danger is reported to be high.”
“Portable meth labs are more common than our Victoria folks would ever think,” said Rogers. “We do about 400 calls a year and half or more are drug related.”
The incident meant the commute home for people who use Sooke Road and the parkway was turned into a nightmare of detours.
Traffic travelling south on Veterans Memorial Parkway was turned away at Kelly Road, while vehicles travelling west on Sooke Road were diverted north on the parkway.
There were other detours set up around the area which led to heavy traffic through some neighbourhoods.
The roads were reopened about 7:30 p.m. after the CRD hazmat team gave the OK to tow the car away in RCMP custody.
- - -
CHEK News: Hazmat team called in during police operation in Colwood
