Multi-vehicle crash east of Summerside leaves 64-year-old P.E.I. man dead

A 64-year-old Prince Edward Island man is dead after four vehicles were involved in a collision east of Summerside Friday afternoon.

A news release from the RCMP said the crash happened at about 1:30 p.m. on Route 2 in Springfield, leaving the highway closed for several hours.

"RCMP officers learned that a vehicle crossed the centre line, striking an oncoming vehicle," the news release said. "Two other vehicles were then involved in the collision.

"Four people were sent to hospital three with non-life-threatening injuries and a 64-year-old Queens County man, later died in hospital."

The news release said a collision reconstructionist was called to the scene after the initial response from Prince District RCMP, EMS ambulances, the Kensington Fire Department, and the provincial Department of Transportation.  

"Our thoughts are with the victim's family at this difficult time," the RCMP statement said.  

Prince County Hospital in Summerside declared a Code Orange on Friday afternoon as it treated patients from the incident. 

Health P.E.I. was asking people to stay away from the emergency department unless they needed care immediately.

"Those with non-urgent concerns can expect long waits," a statement from the health agency said. 

The Code Orange was declared over within an hour. 

That category of alert is called "when an external disaster or threat is likely to require additional hospital resources," Health P.E.I. said in its statement. "During a Code Orange, additional staff and protocols are activated to increase hospital capacity in order to respond to the event."