A missing three-year-old boy who was swept into the Grand River near Grand Valley is highlighting the danger of driving through washed out roads in the area.
Centre Wellington Fire and Rescue assisted with a swift water rescue in the early hours Wednesday morning near Grand Valley, Ont., but deputy chief Tom Mulvey said there is danger close to home as well.
“The water is moving quickly through all of the tributaries of the rivers and the creeks, which makes the banks very dangerous and slippery,” said Mulvey.
A three-year-old boy is missing after a minivan drove past a road closure sign on a washed up portion of the 10th Line of Amaranth, said Constable Paul Nancekivell of the Ontario Provincial Police.
The minivan eventually washed up four kilometres from where it entered, said Nancekivell.
“The mother managed to get herself out and removed her child from the vehicle. Sadly, she lost grip of the child. The child was swept out of her hands down river,” said Nancekivell.
The mother was rescued by firefighters and taken to a local hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia, he said.
Nancekivell said the OPP is throwing all of the resources it can to find the boy, including surveying the area by helicopter.
The OPP Emergency Response Team is searching the river banks and an OPP dive team has searched the minivan.
“The child is not in there,” said Nancekivell.
In addition, the OPP’s crime unit is also assisting.
“Not because we think there is anything suspicious, but we are using their detectives to interview witnesses and get complete and thorough statements so we can document everything,” said Nancekivell.
Centre Wellington Fire & Rescue is asking everyone to stay away from fast moving water and to not attempt crossing water that has passed over a roadway.
“You’re never sure how deep it is or what it has done to the structure of the road, so we ask motorists to not go around those barricades. They are there for a reason,” said Mulvey.
The danger in swift water rescue is not just for those being attended to, said Mulvey, but also to the rescuers themselves.
“It is extremely dangerous, especially with ice chunks flowing down the river at the same time. It’s not just the speed of the water, it’s also what is flowing in it,” said Mulvey.
The OPP is not offering a description of the boy at this time.
“Certainly if anyone sees any bodies or anybody laying at the edge of the Grand River, we need a call right away. Phone 911 and we will dispatch the nearest police service to it,” said Nancekivell.
