Crash closes Hwy 97 north of Prince George, B.C., for almost 10 hours

Police sayone person wastaken to hospital following a crash on Highway 97 north of Prince George, B.C., on Monday that closed the principal route connecting the Peace region with the south of the province for nearly 10 hours.

RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Cooper saidpolice were advised of the crash at around 12:45 p.m. PT and that it involved a five-ton truck and pickup truck, with "at least one person" airlifted to hospital for treatment of their injuries.

The crash occurred near Barney Creek Road, just south of the Summit Lake turnoff about 30 kilometresnorth of Prince George.

B.C. Emergency Health Services saidfour ambulances and one air ambulance responded to the scene. SpokespersonJasprit Khandal said in an email that one person in stable conditionwas transported to hospital via air ambulance.

The highway, which links Prince George to Mackenzie, Dawson Creek and beyond, was closed in both directions after the crash, with no detours in place.DriveBCsaid on Twitter that the highway reopened around 10:15 p.m. PT.

Without Highway 97, there are no other routes connecting the Peace region to the rest of B.C. that don't involve a lengthy detour through Alberta, or west and north into Yukon, or via a network of back roads that are not maintained over thewinter.