One man is dead after several semi-trailers crashed into each other south of Merritt on the Coquihalla Highway early Tuesday morning.
RCMP Sgt. Reinhold Weissbock said the accident began as a minor fender-bender, but turned tragic after one of the drivers involved stepped out of his big rig to investigate.
The driver was hit by another truck and died at the scene.
"He got out because somebody had side-swiped or nudged his vehicle, so he went over to talk to that driver when a third vehicle came by," said Weissbock.
The fatal impact went unnoticed until the truck that had come to a halt over the victim's body was towed from the scene.
His name has not been released.
A second trucker was hurt in the pile-up, but the extent of his injuries is unknown.
The accident kept the Coquihalla closed for several hours, with traffic being diverted to highways 1 and 8.
The cause of the crash has not been determined, but snow and slippery road conditions may have been a factor.
