Head-on crash kills 2, ignites grass fire near Ashcroft, B.C.

Two people are dead after a crash on Highway 1 in the B.C. Interiorthat also sparked a grass fire, according to RCMPin Merritt, B.C.

Ashcroft RCMP and emergency crews responded to the collision on Highway 1 near Basque Road just before 7:30 p.m., Monday, a police statement said.

A transport truck had gone off the highwayand was completely engulfed in flames. The driver of the transport truck was not able to escape the cab and was killed as a result of the fire, police said.

A red Honda Civic was also found nearby with that driver also pronounced deadat the scene.

The statement said additional firefighting resources were called in to help deal witha grass fire sparked by the collision which had grown to about1.4 hectares before it was knocked down.

According to investigators, the cause of the crash is still in an early stage, but evidence found at the scene indicatesthe HondaCivic was heading south on Highway 1 when itcrossed the centre line and collided head on with thenorthbound transport truck.

The woman drivingthe Honda isbelieved to be from the United States, and so investigators are working with U.S. authorities to identify her.

Anyone with information about this collision is asked to call Merritt RCMP at (250) 378-4262.