Emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Blanshard Street and Tolmie Avenue.
Victoria police, the Victoria Fire Department and BC Ambulance Service were on scene and had the right-hand northbound lane of Blanshard Street, as well as the westbound lane of Tolmie Avenue heading towards Blanshard Street, blocked off.
A BlueBird taxi was struck by the driver of a beige SUV. The passenger side of the taxi was crushed and the front of the beige SUV was damaged.
Jas Nagra, the taxi driver, said he was driving east on Tolmie Avenue when his vehicle was struck by the driver of SUV as it ran a red light while heading north on Blanshard Street. He had a passenger in his vehicle at the time but said she was not injured.
The driver of a Blue Bird taxi was involved in a collision with the driver or a beige SUV. Traffic on Blanshard Street is impacted as the right hand northbound lane on Blanshard is blocked by police vehicles, an ambulance and a firetruck. pic.twitter.com/zl1TLK70yD
— Devon Bidal (@devonscarlett) January 8, 2020
READ ALSO: Two-truck crash impacting traffic in downtown Victoria
A second bumper-to-bumper crash involving three vehicles took place near the same intersection about 30 minutes later.
When Saanich police arrived at the scene of the second crash, they blocked off the right-hand southbound lane of Blanshard Street before Tolmie Avenue.
A second collision in the southbound lanes north of the intersection is slowing traffic on the other side of Blanshard Street. Three sedan drivers were involved. No emergency vehicles are on scene. #yyjtraffic pic.twitter.com/jUnBsnMHEA
— Devon Bidal (@devonscarlett) January 8, 2020
Another vehicle was blocking traffic in the left-hand southbound lane of Blanshard Street just before Tolmie Avenue where it had stalled. Traffic in the area was affected as drivers moved out of the blocked lane and around the stalled car.
Police and drivers involved in the second collision stopped to help the driver of the stalled vehicle to move it to the side of the roadway behind their three damaged vehicles.
The line up of damaged vehicles is growing on Blanshard Street. pic.twitter.com/qpLZPEXCCI
— Devon Bidal (@devonscarlett) January 8, 2020
Both collisions have since cleared and traffic has resumed in the area.
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