Coquihalla Highway re-opens, RCMP say semi crash left 1 dead
Police expected 'lengthy' closure, local officers and highway patrol investigating
The Coquihalla Highway was re-opened Monday afternoon after police said a deadly, early-morning crash lead to it being closed in both directions near Merritt, B.C.
RCMP said two semi-trailers collided on the highway just south of the city.
A statement said one person has died and another was taken to hospital in serious condition.
The crash led to a large fire covering both southbound lanes of the highway.
"Due to the intense nature of the fire, it is dangerous for vehicles to pass, hence the highway closure," the statement read.
Officers with the Merritt RCMP are leading an investigation with support from the RCMP's B.C. Highway Patrol, Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement officers, the B.C. Ambulance Service, and the B.C. Coroners Service.
The B.C. Wildfire Service is also aware of the crash because of danger posed by the fire.
RCMP said drivers can monitor DriveBC for updates on the highway closure, "which is expected to be lengthy."
DriveBC announced the route had fully re-opened Monday afternoon.
⚠️UPDATE - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy5?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCHwy5</a> now OPEN in the southbound [SB] direction from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MerrittBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MerrittBC</a>.<br><br>There will be one [1] lane taken out of service while the vehicle recovery takes place, with a speed reduction in place. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDMO?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SDMO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SlowDownMoveOver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SlowDownMoveOver</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ConeZoneBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ConeZoneBC</a>🦺 <a href="https://t.co/4DhOHJiLZI">pic.twitter.com/4DhOHJiLZI</a>
—@DriveBC