Five-vehicle crash closes TCH until 1 or 2 pm — UPDATED!

The Trans-Canada Highway was reopened on Tuesday afternoon after a five-vehicle crash one kilometre west of town had closed it for 12 hours. the Trans-Canada Highway since it happened at 1 am. An alert on Drive BC said the highway may not reopen until 1 or 2 pm. Photo courtesy of the Revelstoke RCMP

The Trans-Canada Highway was reopened on Tuesday afternoon after a five-vehicle crash one kilometre west of town had closed it for 12 hours.

A statement from the RCMP said two men and one woman were transported to the Queen Victoria Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after the 1 am accident.  Paramedics from the British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS), the Fire Rescue Service and Mounties from Trans-Canada East Traffic Services (TCETS) and the local detachment sere all called to the scene.

“TCETS and their Collision Analyst were on-scene of this incident for approximately eight hours  investigating the cause and dynamics of the crash,” Cpl. Thomas Blakney said in a statement released Tuesday morning, March 7. “Preliminary indications are that a westbound tractor-trailer unit, driven by a 50-year-old female, collided with an eastbound tractor-trailer unit, driven by a 60-year-old male. Subsequently two additional tractor-trailer units and a passenger vehicle crashed creating a five-vehicle pile-up.”

At the time of the crash the roads were considered to be in winter-driving condition with icy sections and topped with light snow.

As a result of the various collisions, there is scattered debris on the highway. The materials were all determined to be dry goods and there is no suspected danger to the public or the environment.