Coquihalla back open in both directions after major crash

A map shows delays on a section of the Coquihalla Highway Monday (DriveBC)

A multi-vehicle collision shut down a stretch of the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt Monday.

The crash took place at Box Canyon near the Great Beat Snowshed, according to DriveBC.

The roadway was closed in both directions around 3:30 p.m., and fully reopened to traffic around 2:30 a.m. the following day.

Transportation officials warned of “heavy congestion” on the reopened part of the highway.

In a Tuesday update, BC Highway Patrol said the collision involved three passenger vehicles and a commercial semi-truck pulling a loaded trailer.

The semi-truck driver was not injured, while one occupant of a passenger vehicle was taken to hospital by air ambulance with serious injuries, and another sustained minor injuries, according to BC Highway Patrol.

They did not specify how many people were in the three passenger vehicles or if there were any other injuries.

The highway patrol’s criminal collision investigation team has taken over, and potential charges under the Criminal Code or the Motor Vehicle Act have not been ruled out, the update reads.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has dash cam video is asked to contact BCHP in Chilliwack at 604-702-4039.

A traffic camera shows a closed section of the Coquihalla Highway (DriveBC)