A serious shuttle bus accident near Mackenzie, British Columbia, injured 21 people on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, after a vehicle carrying workers left Highway 39 and plunged down an embankment. The crash occurred at approximately 9:10 a.m. Pacific Time, about four kilometres south of Mackenzie. Emergency crews transported injured passengers to hospitals, while two medical facilities declared Code Orange alerts to manage the sudden influx of patients. Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the accident, and no fatalities have been reported.
What Happened?
The Mackenzie bus accident involved a white shuttle bus carrying workers for a contractor associated with IREN, a data centre and AI cloud infrastructure company.
According to initial reports, the vehicle was travelling along Highway 39 when it left the roadway and went down an embankment into a ditch.
The incident occurred during the morning hours, prompting an extensive emergency response.
Police, paramedics, firefighters, and medical personnel were dispatched to the scene.
The bus was carrying 20 passengers and one driver, all of whom reportedly sustained injuries.
Investigators have not yet established what caused the driver to lose control or why the vehicle departed the highway.
Where Was the Crash?
The accident happened on Highway 39, approximately four kilometres south of Mackenzie in northern British Columbia.
Mackenzie is a community north of Prince George, and Highway 39 provides an important road connection for residents, businesses, and workers travelling through the region.
The crash location presented challenges for emergency crews because the bus had travelled off the road and down an embankment.
Responders needed to assess the injured occupants and coordinate transportation to medical facilities.
Authorities closed the affected section of the highway while rescue operations and the initial investigation were underway.
The road disruption lasted several hours.
How Many Were Injured?
A total of 21 people were injured, including 20 passengers and the shuttle bus driver.
Reported injuries ranged from minor to serious.
Emergency medical personnel assessed patients at the scene before determining which individuals required immediate hospital transportation.
At least one person was reported to be in serious condition and required urgent air ambulance transport.
Several other patients needed additional medical attention after initially being taken to nearby facilities.
Despite the severity of the accident, no deaths had been reported as of November 5, 2026.
Authorities have not publicly released a complete list of the injured passengers or detailed individual medical conditions.
Emergency Response
The crash triggered a coordinated response involving ground ambulances, air ambulances, and local emergency services.
One seriously injured patient was airlifted directly from the crash scene.
Six other patients were initially transported by ground ambulance and subsequently transferred by air to another medical facility.
Of those six patients, two were reported to be in serious condition, while four were described as serious but stable.
Another 13 patients, whose conditions were considered stable, were transported by bus for medical assessment.
The response required careful coordination because the accident involved numerous injured people at the same location.
Emergency teams worked to ensure that patients received appropriate care according to the severity of their injuries.
Hospitals Declare Code Orange
Mackenzie and District Hospital and the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia in Prince George both declared Code Orange following the crash.
Code Orange is an emergency hospital protocol activated when a mass-casualty incident or another major event creates an unusually high demand for medical services.
The declaration allows hospitals to reorganize staff, prepare treatment areas, and coordinate resources for incoming patients.
The Mackenzie accident created precisely this type of situation because more than 20 people required medical assessment.
Both hospitals prepared to receive patients while ambulance services managed transportation.
According to reports, both Code Orange declarations were lifted later on November 4, after the immediate emergency response had been brought under control.
Who Were the Passengers?
The injured passengers were workers travelling on a shuttle bus connected to a contractor working for IREN.
IREN is a multinational company involved in data centre infrastructure and AI cloud computing services.
The workers were reportedly travelling in a vehicle used for contractor transportation.
However, the identities of the passengers and the precise nature of their individual jobs have not been publicly confirmed.
There is also limited verified information about the shuttle operator and the specific journey planned that morning.
The company’s connection to the incident relates to the workers’ reported contractor employment, not to any established finding about responsibility for the accident.
No official investigation findings have attributed blame to IREN.
Highway 39 Closure
Highway 39 was closed in both directions following the bus crash.
The closure allowed emergency vehicles to access the scene and provided space for rescue operations.
Police also needed to secure the area while investigators examined the roadway and the damaged shuttle bus.
The disruption affected traffic travelling between Mackenzie and surrounding communities.
After several hours, authorities permitted vehicles to pass through the affected section using single-lane alternating traffic.
The partial reopening helped restore movement while crews continued their work.
Motorists were advised to follow official traffic updates because conditions could change as recovery operations progressed.
What Caused the Crash?
The cause of the Mackenzie bus accident remains under investigation.
The B.C. Highway Patrol has not confirmed whether weather, road conditions, vehicle problems, driver actions, or another factor contributed to the incident.
Investigators have indicated that no potential cause has been ruled out.
This means that conclusions about speeding, mechanical failure, or dangerous driving would be premature.
Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the vehicle’s departure from Highway 39.
As of November 5, 2026, no arrests had been reported in connection with the crash.
Authorities have not announced any criminal charges.
Police Seek Witnesses
The B.C. Highway Patrol is requesting assistance from anyone who witnessed the crash or recorded the shuttle bus before the accident.
Investigators are particularly interested in dash-camera footage that could help establish the vehicle’s movements leading up to the incident.
Video recordings may provide information about traffic conditions, the bus’s position on the roadway, and events immediately before the crash.
Witnesses may also be able to describe conditions that were not captured by cameras.
Anyone with relevant information can contact the B.C. Highway Patrol in Prince George at 250-649-4004.
Police have asked callers to reference file number 2026-956.
Latest Mackenzie Update
As of November 5, 2026, the Mackenzie bus crash has left 21 people injured, with no confirmed fatalities.
The accident occurred at approximately 9:10 a.m. on November 4, when a shuttle carrying contractor workers left Highway 39 south of Mackenzie.
The emergency response involved multiple ambulances, medical transfers, and Code Orange declarations at two northern British Columbia hospitals.
Both hospital alerts were lifted later that day, and Highway 39 subsequently reopened to alternating single-lane traffic.
The cause remains unknown, and the B.C. Highway Patrol continues to seek witness statements and dash-camera footage.
Further official updates will be needed to establish why the bus left the road and whether any additional enforcement action is warranted.
