There was a head on collision between an SUV and a minivan, operating as a Handivan, 40 kilometres south of Grand Rapids around 3:45 p.m. on Monday.

Grand Rapids Fire Department and EMS also responded.  The 42-year-old woman in the front passenger seat of the minivan was taken to the Grand Rapids Nursing Station where she succumbed to her injuries.   A 23-year-old woman in the front passenger seat of the SUV was pronounced deceased on scene.

One other passenger in the van and the 54-year-old man from Winnipeg who was driving the van as well as two other passengers in the SUV and the 23-year-old man driving the SUV received non-life-threatening injuries.

RCMP say it appears the SUV crossed the centre line colliding with the minivan.  No charges have been laid as yet.

The highway was shut down for seven hours and while many motorists opted to turn around, once the highway re opened a northbound SUV with a drained battery from the long wait, wouldn’t start.  A pickup truck pulled over to help and everyone was outside their vehicles standing beside the road around 11:30 p.m. Monday night when a northbound van pulling a loaded trailer collided with the back of the pickup truck which then hit the SUV.  The SUV tragically struck two people who were standing beside the road.

A 33-year-old man was deceased on scene. A 36-year-old man suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Both are from The Pas and were travelling with the SUV.   The investigation continues. RCMP Forensic Collision Reconstructionists are assisting with both investigations.

Grand Rapids is approximately 350 kilometres northeast of Dauphin, Manitoba.