National

Coquihalla Highway Closed For Hours After Separate Crashes Claim Life, Spark Small Fire

The Canadian Press, 31 Jul, 2018 10:29 AM

CHILLIWACK, B.C. — A fiery crash on B.C.'s Coquihalla Highway caused a brush fire and a second deadly accident late Monday.

Traffic began to move past the crash scenes early Tuesday, about 11 hours after the first of the two collisions closed the busy route.

RCMP say in a news release that two transport trucks collided about 50 kilometres north of Hope late Monday and the resulting fire burned the trucks and spread into bush beside the road.

Wildfire crews responded and knocked down the flames but during the delay another vehicle rammed the rear of a separate transport truck and police say the driver of the smaller vehicle died at the scene.

The victim's name has not been released.

Northbound traffic on the Coquihalla was halted overnight and travellers were advised to use Highways 1 or 3 to reach the Interior.

NOW OPEN -#BCHwy5 single lane open northbound between #HopeBC and #MerrittBC
Expect delays due to congestion.https://t.co/tF1KM582Wo
— Drive BC (@DriveBC) July 31, 2018

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