Manitoba's transportation and infrastructure minister has ordered all bridges in the province to be inspected immediately for snow buildup, announcing the move a day after a woman's vehicle fell off a bridge in north Winnipeg.

Ron Lemieux said his department is also reviewing its policy on snow-clearing in general to determine if any changes could prevent future accidents.

Klassen's Jeep is pulled up a bank of the Red River on Tuesday, after it fell from the North Perimeter Bridge.
(CBC)

On Tuesday morning, a Jeep driven by Lisa Klassen, 23, launched over a guardrail on the North Perimeter Bridge, landing upside-down on the frozen Red River near Henderson Highway. 

Passersby ran to the river's surface, pulled Klassen from her vehicle and performed CPR. She is now in critical but stable condition in hospital.

Witnesses to the accident said a snow bank on the side of the bridge may have contributed to the accident, describing her vehicle as driving up the bank, teetering on the edge of the guardrail and then tumbling over the side.

Provincial officials conceded the snow might have played a role in the accident.

"Certainly in this case it appears that it may have had an impact with the lady and the collision that occurred," said Manitoba Transportation spokesman Ron Weatherburn.

A mound of hard-packed ice and snow was cleared from the North Perimeter Bridge shortly after the accident so engineers could inspect the guard rail for damage.
(CBC)

Snow was cleared from the North Perimeter Bridge shortly after the accident Tuesday morning so provincial engineers could determine if the guardrail had been damaged, Lemieux said. The rail was not damaged.

While emphasizing that the cause of Klassen's accident is still under investigation, Lemieux said he could not explain why the snow was allowed to accumulate on the bridge in the first place.

"This is all going to be all part and parcel of the review, but let me just reiterate one thing, and that is that right now, we've got crews out there, not waiting for the review, we're taking some action with regard to the bridges and taking care of it," he said.

"The snow buildup on the side of the railings, I want to ensure that that kind of buildup is not there."

The road had been sanded twice Tuesday morning, once around 6 and again shortly before the accident at 7:30, officials said.

The policy review could take weeks to complete, Lemieux said, but the department has been ordered to ensure bridges are cleared of snow as soon as possible for the rest of the winter.

The provincial government recently added $2.3 million to its snow-clearing and sanding budget for extra staff, and more monitoring of road conditions. The department also replaced 21 plow-equipped trucks and upgraded its snowplows.

Family thanks rescuers

The family of Klassen, sister of Olympic speedskater Cindy Klassen, released a statement Wednesday thanking those who helped her.

Lisa Klassen in 2004, as she cheered on her sister's speedskating performance in the Winter Olympics.
(CBC)

The family specifically thanked off-duty firefighter Dale Kasper and another man, Toby Tutkaluk, and the emergency crews, saying Klassen survived the crash because of their efforts.

For his part, Kasper said he can't shake the image of Klassen's car teetering and going over the edge of the bridge. He's used to dealing with emergencies, but rarely sees them actually happen, he said.

"It is a bit more personal because I'm there with my co-workers, doing it on my own," he said. "Didn't sleep too well. Been awake since one, just worrying about Lisa and her family."

Klassen's head was underwater for a few minutes before she was pulled from the vehicle and Kasper began CPR.

Family and friends are rallying around the young woman, praying for her recovery. 

Fred Pauls, assistant principal of Klassen's alma mater, Mennonite Brethren Collegiate, said Klassen is an accomplished musician and was co-president of the school's student council before she graduated in 2002.

"The staff are very saddened to hear about what had happened," he said.

"There are relatives here at the school. There are people that go to the same church that the Klassen family goes to. The staff response has been to pray for the family."