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Surrey city staff investigating why manhole cover was dislodged

Driver lost control after RCMP pickup hit manhole, snapping telephone pole and hitting store
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City staff investigating how a manhole cover got dislodged after an RCMP pickup truck hit the hole, snapped a telephone pole and then his a store in Cloverdale on Sunday morning. (Photos: Shane MacKichan).

Surrey city staff are investigating how a manhole cover that played a role in a dramatic crash involving an RCMP pickup truck in Cloverdale this past Sunday became dislodged.

Fraser Smith, general manager of the city’s engineering department, told the Now-Leader on Tuesday that city staff have yet to conclude their investigation.

“Engineering Operations staff attended the incident Sunday morning and found that a manhole cover had become dislodged from its frame,” Smith said. “We are currently investigating the possible causes of this manhole cover being dislodged but are unable to speculate possible reasons until the investigation has been completed.

“The manhole cover was quickly replaced and the manholes in the vicinity were also checked by staff who found no other issues.”

Roughly 2,000 customers were left without power in Surrey for several hours on Sunday after the pickup belonging to the Lower Mainland RCMP crashed into a power pole in the 18500-block of Fraser Highway at about 7 a.m. and then hit a store before catching fire.

READ ALSO: More than 2,000 people left without power in Surrey after truck hits power pole

READ ALSO: Three serious pedestrian crashes — one fatal — in Surrey so far in 2018

Surrey RCMP Staff Sergeant Murray Hedderson said the truck was heading west when its left rear wheel dropped into a manhole.

“The driver lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle veered off the road striking a hydro pole before colliding into a store front,” Hedderson said. “The police vehicle caught on fire, and the fire spread to the business.”

Firefighters extinguished both fires and a BC Hydro repaired the snapped pole.

Hedderson noted it was foggy at the time of the crash, “with limited visibility.”

Corporal Scotty Schumann said “it’s believed the cover was not on correctly. When driven over by the police truck it was flung to the side of the road.”



tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com

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About the Author: Tom Zytaruk

I write unvarnished opinion columns and unbiased news reports for the Surrey Now-Leader.
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