Owner of Kelowna, B.C. townhouse damaged by semi truck calls for safety upgrades – Okanagan | 24CA News
It’s been three days since a semi tractor-trailer unit slammed right into a Kelowna townhome, and the truck stays lodged within the constructing.
“It could be weeks away until they get the truck out, and then I’m guessing months until they actually repair everything,” mentioned home-owner Samer Shehadeh.
Read extra:
Semi crashes into Kelowna, B.C. townhome
It was Tuesday morning when the driving force of the semi misplaced management on Gordon Drive and Cameron Avenue.
Shehadeh’s one-year-old son and mother-in-law had been each inside the house on the time.
“I thank God that nobody was coming down the stairs, sitting outside having coffee in the morning when there was beautiful sunshine,” Shehadeh advised Global News. “This could have ended tragically.”
The crash marks the third critical accident on the intersection of Gordon and Cameron Avenue in simply two years.
“I think this is a very dangerous corner,” mentioned Shehadeh.
Shehadeh’s dwelling safety video captured the crashes.
“Luckily, there’s nobody standing at the bus stations or crossing the street,” he mentioned.
In October of 2021, there was a T-bone accident as a car tried a left flip from Gordon onto Cameron.
Then a yr later in November of 2022, his digicam recorded one other crash involving a car rushing by, hitting an intersection median then crashing right into a tree.
Concerned, Shehadeh is now calling on the town to take motion and make the intersection safer.
“I feel like there’s a big issue with these lights, the way that they’re set up. It shouldn’t be four-way stoplights here,” Shehadeh mentioned.
“There should be some warning signs. There’s a curb that you approach as you’re heading towards the street, so there should be some changes here.”
Global News has reached out to the town concerning security enhancements to the intersection.
RCMP media spokesperson Const. Mike Della-Paolera mentioned the investigation might be a protracted and sophisticated one.
He mentioned police are quite a few doable components to find out why the crash occurred.
Among the issues police are are driver error, a medical problem and a mechanical malfunction with the semi.
“They (RCMP) won’t share any more information with me,” mentioned Shehadeh. “The trucking company hasn’t been returning my calls, so it’s been pretty frustrating to figure out exactly what’s going on.”
The household of six is now in limbo, residing in a lodge and unsure concerning the weeks and months forward.
“We don’t have access to our home. You know, we have children. My baby is having trouble going to sleep, he doesn’t don’t have his crib,” Shehadeh mentioned.
“It is starting to affect us more and more, day by day.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
