1 dead after car crushed between 2 dump trucks in Langley

One person is dead after a three-vehicle collision in Langley during evening rush hour Wednesday.

Langley RCMP say the victim was a 61-year-old Chilliwack man who was driving a Chevrolet Cavalier at the time of the crash.

The car, along with two dump trucks were involved in the collision, which Mounties say happened on 16th Avenue near 200 Street shortly after 5 p.m.

“I saw that accident (scene). I tell you I was almost in tears. I was shaking,” said Steve Gosal, who lives nearby.

Another neighbour heard the crash and said it left him very upset.

“All night and this morning, (I had a) very bad feeling,” said Hardev Pajwa.

Mounties say a dump truck was travelling eastbound on 16th Avenue, followed by the car.

“Shortly after crossing 200th Street, they slowed to a stop for some traffic congestion,” explained Cpl. Craig van Herk of the Langley RCMP.

“A second commercial vehicle, a dump truck, also eastbound on 16th Avenue, crossed 200th street, but did not stop in time, colliding with the smaller Cavalier,” he explained.

Video from the scene shows the car completely crumpled under the front wheels of a large dump truck. A blue sheet covers one side of the car.

“Unfortunately, the occupant of the Cavalier succumbed to his injuries at the scene,” Langley RCMP said in a statement, issued hours after the collision.

Police say the drivers of the dump truck were cooperative.

The crash forced the closure of 16th Avenue between 200 and 208 streets for seven hours.

RCMP are still trying to piece together what led to the accident.

“We don’t have a determination at this point as to what actually happened prior to, or what caused that driver (of the second truck) not to not stop in time,” van Herk said.

The dump truck that failed to stop quickly enough belongs to DCH Excavating in Langley. CTV News went to the business, but were told neither the driver nor the owner were there. They have not responded to an interview request.

Meanwhile, RCMP say they regularly receive calls about bad drivers on 16th Avenue, which is a busy corridor and designated truck route.

“Our traffic enforcement section is there (a) minimum four times a month conducting specific operations,” said van Herk.

The same day as the fatal crash, there were two other accidents on 16th Avenue, but no other serious injuries.

The most recent data available from 2021 shows there were more than 100 crashes at intersections along 16th Avenue. The worst intersections were at 200th and 264th Streets in Langley, with 16 each.

Resident Steve Gosal says 16th Avenue. is just too busy.

 “We have so many trucks going through here and I tell you it’s a nightmare. It’s a nightmare,” he said.

“We either need a different truck route or a better road, before somebody else dies,” he warned.

Multiple police agencies—including the Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service, Langley RCMP’s Criminal Collision Investigation Team and the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch—are investigating the collision, in partnership with BC Coroners Service.

Mounties are asking anyone who witnessed the accident or who may have dash cam video to contact them at 604-532-3200.