Snow plow operators save stranded drivers after car door blows off in Wreckhouse winds

Whiteout conditions and maximum wind gusts of 154 km/h meant severe danger in the Wreckhouse area of southwestern Newfoundland on Monday, but police are thanking provincial snow plow operators for potentially saving lives.

RCMP Cpl. Jolene Garland said police received a report of a vehicle with three people inside stranded on the Trans-Canada Highway north of Port aux Basques on Monday morning.

"The vehicle was basically tipped on the edge of a bank," Garland told CBC Wednesday. 

"One of the motorists tried to open the door to the vehicle, and the door blew clear off."

Another driver in the same area pulled off the highway because of the whiteout and also got stuck.

After the car's door blew off, Garland said it was at risk of tipping over the embankment.

But the extreme conditions also affected the ability of police and first responders to access the area.

"It gets to a point at certain times, and thankfully they're only limited, where we have to make that call that it's really unsafe even for us to try and venture out into it. We're certainly no good to anyone if we're no good to ourselves," she said.

With police unable to respond, that's when Garland said snow plow operators with the provincial Department of Transportation stepped in.

Crews were dispatched from Doyles and Port aux Basques and were able to safely collect and transport the stranded people to safety.

"[Those stranded] certainly could have been exposed to the elements in that case, especially if they had, you know, had have been stranded for any length of time. So we certainly thank those snow plow operators for going above and beyond," she said.

Garland said the rescue serves as an important reminder to heed notifications when travel in an area, especially one prone to high winds like the Wreckhouse, are issued.

"We don't do that lightly. We don't do that without just cause or reason, so we're just asking motorists to certainly heed ... when we're asking that."

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