29 injured in multi-vehicle crash on Coquihalla Highway

More than two dozen people were taken to hospital after a crash involving two buses, two semi-trailers and two vehicleson the CoquihallaHighway north of Hope, B.C., on Sunday night.

Responders worked for hours to free people trapped in vehicles.

The highway was closed in both directionsbetween Hope and Merrittafter thecrash about 8 p.m. PT Sunday. Northbound lanes were reopened shortly before 2 a.m. Monday.

B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) confirmed the vehicles involved in the accident. It saidit sent 22 ground and air ambulances to the scene.

Twenty-nine patients were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from stable to critical.Another 136 people who weren't injured were takento a warming centre in Hope.

BCEHSsaidthe collision occurred about 25 kilometres north of Hope.DriveBC putthe locationnear Exit 183 or Othello Road.

Earlier in the day, B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation had warned drivers to be cautious on the stretch of Highway 5between Hope and Merrittdue to limited visibility, although it hasn't been determined if visibility issues played a role in the crash.

Graham Zillwood lives on Othello Road about 100 metres from the location of the crash. He said he was watching television whenheard a loud crunching noise.

"It sounded like a vehicle hit a tree, so I quickly got up and I grabbed my phone," he said. "I knew someone was probably off the highway."

As Zillwooddialled 911, he said,he saw a transport truck come down the roadway, fail to stop and then hit a vehicle, which was knocked down the embankment.

He saidthe transport truck then rolled down the embankment and landed on top of the vehicle.

"Then another semi came and went down the embankment," he said in describing the multi-vehicle pile-up.

• AUDIO | Listen to Hope B.C. resident Graham Zillwooddescribe the sights and sounds of the accident

Greyhound Canada confirmed one of the buses belongs to the company. Its 5105 bus was en route from Kelownato Vancouver.

Multi-vehicle crash on B.C. highway sends 29 to hospital

7 years ago

Duration 1:15

2 buses, 2 transport trucks, 2 vehicles involved in crash in poor visibility conditions

The company said50 passengers were aboard, plus the driver. Greyhound said only one person suffered minor injuries and that the passengers were put aboard another bus.

Greyhound also said it did not know the cause of the accident, but that it would be conducting its own investigation.

On Twitter,Kelsey Julia said her father was on one of the busesbut was uninjured, while others did suffer injuries.

DriveBC saidmotorists can use Highway 1 from Hope or Highway 3 or 5A as alternate routes. Alternate routes from Merritt are Highways 8 and 1.

The agency said it would take until at least noon on Monday for southbound lanes on Highway 5 to reopen.

Zillwoodsaidhe often sees accidents from his window. He haslived in his house on Othello Road for 14 years, and said he has called 911 about a major accident each winter for all but oneof those years.

"It's just horrible," he said. "I watch it.Thank God I can phone it in, but geez, it's horrible."

• Good Samaritan killed in long-weekend Coquihalla crash