Wednesday, January 28, 2015

FIERY TRUCK COLLISION WITH THE HIGHWAY MEDIAN LEAVES ONE DRIVER DEAD, CLOSES HWY 99 SOUTH OF MASSEY TUNNEL IN BRITISH COLUMBIA



FIERY TRUCK COLLISION WITH THE HIGHWAY MEDIAN LEAVES ONE DRIVER DEAD, CLOSES HWY 99 SOUTH OF MASSEY TUNNEL IN BRITISH COLUMBIA




January 28, 2015

British Columbia, Canada:
 
A truck driver has died in a fiery crash on B.C.'s Highway 99 just south of the Massey Tunnel on Wednesday morning. 
Delta police say several witnesses attempted to free the trapped man from the truck, which was fully engulfed in flames. He was the lone occupant of the truck and his identity will not be released pending next of kin notification.




"We tried to get out there to do what we could to help him, but it was too late. There was loud bangs, tires were flying. It was time to step back," said witness Gary Edgar.
"We were yelling at him. We were pretty confident he was unconscious throughout all this, but there was no way to get him out."
The accident happened around 9 a.m. PT near the overpass for Highway 17A, also known as the Ladner Trunk overpass. Witnesses reported explosions after the southbound dump truck hit the highway median and burst into flames.
Two vehicles in the northbound lanes were also damaged after being hit. The drivers of both vehicles were transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Highway closed for evening rush hour 



Eyewitnesses at the scene of the truck fire on highway 99 south of Vancouver's Massey Tunnel say fire crews are letting the fire burn itself out. (@steveleenow/Twitter)

The tunnel has been reopened to traffic in both directions, but southbound traffic detoured around the crash site via the Highway 17A or River Road exits. 
Northbound traffic can access the Massey Tunnel via Highway 17A.