Fiery truck crash closes Hwy 99

Photo: CTV

A fiery crash shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday left one person dead and shut down Highway 99 in both directions in Delta.

The crashed vehicle, a tandem-axle dump truck, was wedged on the median between the north and southbound lanes. Some drivers said they saw the truck wobble and lose control before lurching upward and jack-knifing over a median. They said it then struck a van heading in the opposite direction, causing an unbelievable explosion.

RCMP said two vehicles were hit, and the drivers of both were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Delta police confirmed one person appearing to be the driver of a semi truck died in the crash. Police said they couldn't confirm the identity of the deceased.

Witnesses told CTV News some Good Samaritans tried to pull the driver of the truck from the wreckage, but were unsuccessful after the flames consumed the vehicle’s cab.

“They had fire extinguishers and they were trying to extinguish the fire,” said Darlene Ward. “They did their best to get the guy out, but they had to give up.”

“With the diesel fuel leaking, one of the tires caught on fire and kind of went sky-high,” said Gary Edgar, one of the people who tried to save the driver. “An air tank exploded, and we were trying to get him out of there and it was just time to back off.”

Richmond and New Westminster firefighters responded to the scene, helping to cover the Delta fire halls, many of whose members were at a funeral for the Delta firefighter who was struck and killed earlier this month.

Traffic was being rerouted between the Massey Tunnel and Highway 17, according to DriveBC. Both north and southbound lanes were closed between highways 17 and 17A, and southbound traffic headed for the Massey Tunnel was being detoured to Highway 91.

— CTV Vancouver