Coquihalla closed for hours after separate crashes claim life, spark fire

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.

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  A multi-vehicle collision northeast of Hope, B.C. closed the northbound lanes of the Coquihalla Highway overnight. (Facebook: EG Orren)