Traffic moving again on Coquihalla near Hope after fatal multi-vehicle crash

HOPE, B.C. – The Coquihalla Highway north of Hope has reopened following a deadly crash that killed one person, seriously hurt five others and left 34 more with non-life-threatening injuries yesterday.

DriveBC, the provincial government's online site for traveller information, says Highway 5, about 160 kilometres east of Vancouver, reopened at around 10 p.m. Wednesday night, 12 hours after the collision.

Crews had to remove more than 20 damaged vehicles, including jackknifed tractor-trailers, a motor coach bus, cars, a police cruiser and even an ambulance that lost control in icy conditions on a curvy, downhill grade.

RCMP Cpl. Mike Halskov says the investigation is in its early stages but an update could be issued Thursday.

He said weather conditions in the area early Wednesday may have been a major contributing factor in the collision.

B.C. is experiencing a cold snap that has prompted extreme cold or arctic outflow warnings for many parts of the province and Environment Canada says temperatures at the crash site felt close to -20 with the wind chill.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2021.