HEATHERTON/LINWOOD: A pair of serious motor vehicle collisions just days apart shut down sections of Highway 104 in Antigonish County, causing delays for drivers and prompting reminders about safety on one of the province’s busiest roadways.
On July 23, a head-on crash near Summerside Road in Heatherton closed the highway for just under 12 hours after a Ford Fiesta travelling eastbound collided with a westbound Ford Mustang at approximately 1:20 p.m.
Antigonish County District RCMP responded to the scene alongside Emergency Health Services and fire personnel. All three people involved – the lone driver of the Fiesta and both the driver and passenger in the Mustang – were transported to hospital with injuries.
A collision reconstructionist was called in to assist, and the investigation remains ongoing. The section of highway between Exit 35 and Exit 36A/36B was fully closed as crews cleared debris and examined the crash site, reopening later that evening around midnight.
Just three days later, another collision occurred in almost in the exact same stretch of highway.
On July 27, the RCMP again shut down Highway 104 – this time between Exit 37 and Exit 38 in the Linwood area – following a second crash. Few details were immediately available, but the highway was once again closed in both directions for several hours, with traffic being rerouted onto Highway 4.
No updates on injuries or causes related to the July 27 incident were available at the time of publication.
The back-to-back crashes have renewed concerns about traffic safety along the busy corridor, especially during the peak summer travel season, and motorists are being urged to drive cautiously.