Vehicle incident closes southbound lanes of Coquihalla Highway south of Merritt

UPDATE (11:30 a.m.): B.C. Highway Patrol confirms one person is dead and another was sent to hospital with serious injuries following a two-vehicle crash on the Coquihalla Highway south of Merritt.

Cpl. Mike Halskov told CFJC Today that a semi-truck broke down and pulled over to the side of the stretch of Highway 5 before being rear-ended by another semi-truck travelling at highway speeds at around 6 a.m. Monday. He says the driver of the front semi was ejected out of the front window.

Halskov says drivers should expect the southbound lanes of the Coquihalla Highway south of Merritt to remain closed for a few hours as crews try to contain a fire that was caused by the crash.