Sourdough Rendezvous Queen injured in fire truck collision

Yukon's 2018 Sourdough Rendezvous Queen is facing a lengthy recovery following a collision involving a fire truck in Whitehorse.

The crash happened Tuesday at the intersection of the Alaska Highway and Robert Service Way.

Fire Chief Michael Dine said the water tanker truck had its sirens on at the time.

"They were travelling to a structure fire in the Mount Sima area, and so there was certain urgency in their driving," Dine said. "The truck impacted the side of the other vehicle."

A firefighter was sent to hospital, but has since been released with minor injuries.

'I was really lucky'

Lisa Gallant-McRobb, whose car was struck, was also sent to hospital.

"I didn't lose consciousness," she told CBC News.

"I remember being hit and spinning, and then hitting something and spinning, and hitting another something — which turned out to be a truck — and spinning again, and then coming to a stop."

Gallant-McRobb is currently recovering from surgery. She has fractured ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a broken ankle that has pins in it.

"I was really lucky, judging from the condition of my car," she said.

Two other vehicles were also involved in the collision, but no injuries were reported in those cases.

The Sourdough Rendezvous Queen is crowned during the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous, Whitehorse's annual mid-winter festival. This year's festival starts Feb. 8.

Gallant-McRobb, ​who has three weeks left in her reign, says she still has an event coming up — the Queen's Cause on Saturday. She had planned to cook dinner for clients at the Salvation Army, but due to her injuries, chefs will be helping out.

"Me and some friends are going to bedazzle my crutches," she said. "So if I'm going to be a broken queen, I'll sparkle, at least."

Fire department now without a tanker

The collision has left the department without a tanker, which brings water to parts of the city without a municipal water supply. The vehicle is currently out of commission.

Dine says the fire department will find alternatives, adding that it remains ready to respond to emergencies.

"This is our only tanker truck," he said. "All the trucks carry water, though, so that we can use those trucks to shuttle water as well. This one just carries more.

"We're going to have to use other pumpers instead of tankers to shuttle water. And we're going to have to rely on their surrounding departments."

Fire departments outside Whitehorse have agreements which can see equipment lent out in times of need.

As for repairs, the next step is to deal with insurance.

"Whenever you deal with emergency vehicles, it's expensive," said Dine. "There's no question about it. The truck is around 2002 vintage, so it's really difficult to know what the outcome is going to be with regards to the truck."