UPDATE: July 17
A person who was airlifted to hospital after a collision in Maple Ridge on July 16 is now in stable condition. Police confirm the individual remains in the hospital.
ORIGINAL: July 16
A person has been airlifted to a hospital following a serious, four-vehicle collision on a highway in Maple Ridge.
Paramedics and police officers were called to a crash at the intersection of Lougheed Highway and 287 Street at 6:36 a.m. on July 16.
Maple Ridge RCMP Insp. Martin Guay says officers observed damage to a semi-trailer truck transporting logs, a black Chevrolet Tahoe, a white GMC van, and a grey Toyota Corolla.
Police say one person was trapped in the Chevrolet Tahoe and Maple Ridge Fire Department attempted to extract them from their vehicle.
Emergency Health Services public information officer Brian Twaites says paramedics treated two people.
"One patient was transported by air ambulance to hospital in serious condition,” says Twaites.
Police confirm this was the individual who had to be removed by firefighters from the vehicle.
The second patient was transported by ground ambulance to a hospital in stable condition.
Police say the other drivers did not sustain any significant injuries.
"Police determined that the logging truck collided with the Chevrolet Tahoe while travelling westbound on Lougheed Highway,” says Guay.
The initial collision caused both the logging truck and the Chevrolet Tahoe to enter the eastbound lane of Lougheed Highway, striking the GMC van and the Toyota Corolla.
Ridge Meadows RCMP tells Glacier Media there is an active and ongoing investigation.
The Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) has been requested to assist with the investigation. The Lower Mainland ICARS unit is responsible for the forensic reconstruction of collisions that result in serious injury or death between Pemberton and Boston Bar.
Highway 7 is closed in both directions between 280 Street and St. Anthony’s Way. Significant delays are expected due to the collision and investigation.
A detour has been set up and the next update from Drive BC is expected at 11:30 a.m.
No further details are being released about the person who is in serious condition.
Police are asking for witnesses or people with dash camera footage and surveillance video to contact the Ridge Meadows RCMP directly at 604-463-6251.
The BC Coroners Service issued a safety reminder to the public last week, after 19 people died in just five days on highways.
