A multi-vehicle crash has closed Highway 1 near Yale Road West in Chilliwack, B.C., on Tuesday afternoon.
B.C. Highway Patrol and Chilliwack RCMP said in a statement that they responded to the crash just after 2:45 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
“I want to wait until the collision comes to a conclusion [and] we can talk to the investigators to get a final number, but from what we’ve heard it’s five or six [vehicles],” said Cpl. Melissa Jongema with the Highway Patrol in an interview.
Police have confirmed fatalities and multiple injuries due to the crash, and those on the scene told a CBC News reporter around 3:30 p.m. PT that the stretch would be closed for “a long time.”
“We had a lot of ambulances on the scene and we’re requested helicopters, so there are people being transported to multiple hospitals,” said Jongema.
“We just need to wait until investigators are able to touch base with all of those who are injured, and the families of those who have lost a loved one today, [before] we get that final number,” the RCMP officer added, in response to a question about how many people were killed and injured in the crash.
RCMP are asking the public to avoid the area and check DriveBC for updates about the highway reopening.
⛔UPDATE – <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BCHwy1</a> Closed eastbound at <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chilliwack?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Chilliwack</a> River Bridge before Yale Rd due to a vehicle incident. Westbound lanes open. Expect delays due to heavy congestion. <a href=”https://t.co/feVjxGXNS7″>https://t.co/feVjxGXNS7</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Abbotsford?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Abbotsford</a>
—@DriveBC
The highway has since been shut down at No. 3 Road for those going eastbound to allow first responders space to work safely, according to police.
There is currently a single lane of westbound traffic open as of 5 p.m. PT.
“It could take a while, depending on what we uncover as the investigation continues,” Jongema said of the highway closure on Tuesday evening.
B.C. Highway Patrol said they were in the early stages of their investigation on Tuesday afternoon, and the Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) has been called to assist.