A two-car accident on Highway 61 on Sunday, November 21, blocked traffic on Highway 61 for about an hour as three Cook County ambulances responded to transport four patients.
On Sunday, November 21, a twovehicle accident on Highway 61 resulted in four injuries requiring three ambulances. At 12:10 p.m., Dale Lindsay of Thunder Bay called to report the accident about four or five miles south of Cascade River. Lindsay said there were four people in the vehicles, three with apparent injuries.
Cook County Law Enforcement paged the Lutsen First Responders and Cook County Ambulance. Two ambulances were dispatched immediately. The first Sheriff Deputy on the scene asked dispatch to page the Lutsen Fire Department, as extrication equipment was needed. The fire department was on the scene by 12:25 p.m. and the first two ambulances were there by 12:38 p.m.
Emergency workers called for a third ambulance and a member of the Grand Marais Fire Department was called in to drive. While the three Grand Marais ambulances were busy, Grand Portage Ambulance was called to stand by to assist if there was another emergency.
Transported from the scene were Justin, 28, and Brenna, 29, Thompson of Lester Prairie, MN and William, 64, and Joan Munro, of Thunder Bay, Ont. According to State Patrol Sergeant Mark Baker, William Munro sustained minor injuries. Joan Munro was transferred to Thunder Bay by ambulance. Brenna Thompson was taken by ambulance to Duluth in serious condition. All four people were wearing seatbelts.
As emergency workers rescued the accident victims, Highway 61 was blocked for about an hour. Some traffic was directed around the scene on Cascade Beach Road. In addition to Cook County Sheriff deputies and the Minnesota State Patrol, US Customs and Border Protection officers responded.
The accident occurred when the southbound Buick Rendezvous driven by the Thompsons lost control and slid sideways. The Buick was broadsided by the Munro’s Nissan Sentra, in what Sergeant Baker described as a “T-bone crash.”
No charges have been filed, but the crash is under investigation. Sergeant Baker said road conditions were a contributing factor.
Just a few minutes earlier, at 12:05, Law Enforcement received a call from Doris Lamoueux reporting that her Nissan Sentra had slid off the road about five miles south of Cascade River. Fortunately the two people and dog in that vehicle were uninjured and only a tow truck was needed.
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