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BC  

Two killed in crash

UPDATE: 10:45 p.m.

Police in the East Kootenays have confirmed two people and two horses perished in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 95/3 near Irishmen Creek in Moyie, west of Cranbrook.

According to investigators, a tractor trailer heading west at about 9 a.m. hit black ice, and jackknifed, sliding into the eastbound lane.

The tractor trailer collided head-on with a pickup truck hauling a horse trailer.

The driver of the tractor trailer, a 59-year-old man from Edmonton, was ejected and died at the scene. The driver of the pickup, a 51-year-old Cranbrook man, was trapped inside the vehicle and also died at the scene.

His female passenger had to be extracted and was transported to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries. She was eventually airlifted to a larger hospital.

Two horses inside the trailer also died.

Investigators believe that contributing factors to this collision were icy roads, driving too fast for road conditions, and the fact that the tractor trailer driver was not wearing a seat belt.


UPDATE: 5:55 p.m.

Following a fatal collision east of Yahk, Highway 3 has partially reopened to single-lane alternating traffic. 


ORIGINAL: 3:45 p.m.

A morning crash on Highway 3, between Cranbrook and Yahk, has reportedly left two people dead.

The crash occurred Saturday morning, just before 9 a.m., forcing the closure of the highway.

BC Emergency Health Services responded to the scene with four ground ambulances and one air ambulance, but transported just one patient to the hospital in critical condition.

Two others reportedly died in the collision.

The highway has now reopened to single-lane, alternating traffic, according to DriveBC.



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