UPDATE: 10:20 p.m.
Seven people were transported to hospitals in the Lower Mainland after a three vehicle collision on Highway 99.
Provincial Health Services Authority confirms with The Squamish Chief that five ambulances responded to 29000 block of Highway 99 near Britannia Beach.
No further details about the people injured or their extent of injuries are being released at this time.
UPDATE: 9:50 p.m.
Highway 99 is back open after a serious collision closed traffic in both direction for more than six hours.
Drive BC said both lanes reopened at 9:48 p.m. on Sunday.
People should expect delays as the congestion clears.
UPDATE: 9:20 p.m.
Several people were injured during a serious crash involving multiple vehicles on Highway 99.
A spokesperson with BC RCMP says several people have been transported to Lower Mainland hospitals for various injuries on Sunday.
Squamish RCMP, BC Highway Patrol and BC Emergency Health Services all responded to the three-vehicle crash. The Lower Mainland Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service is investigating.
A source tells The Squamish Chief that the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
"At this time tow trucks are at the scene to help clear the highway,” says the spokesperson. "The RCMP continues to investigate and ensure it is safe for re-opening.”
The highway has been closed for six hours as of 9:30 p.m.
"Highway 99 should be open in approximately an hour to help motorists through the Sea to Sky Corridor,” says the spokesperson.
A witness on Highway 99 says they saw a flatbed tow truck carrying a car wreck wrapped in plastic leaving the crash area at 9:40 p.m.
Drive BC says an update is coming at 11 p.m.
UPDATE: 6:50 p.m.
Drivers on Highway 99 are being turned around by crews after a serious collision shut down the highway on Sunday.
DriveBC is asking people to continue to avoid the area.
Squamish resident Celine Cantin was on the highway and stuck in traffic after the collision. She spoke with workers on site and was told it would still be hours before the highway reopened.
Cantin turned around to head back to Squamish and drove by a long line of vehicles.
DriveBC says tow trucks are on scene and the next update is expected at 9 p.m.
Restaurants and businesses near Britannia Beach and in Squamish are staying open for people impacted by the collision.
Brackendale Art Gallery: Café & Culture Centre, Chatterbox, Outbound Station and Trickster’s Hideout all shared that they're staying open for people.
ORIGINAL: 6 p.m.
A serious multi-vehicle collision has halted traffic and closed Highway 99 in both directions near Squamish.
The collision occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday along the Sea to Sky Highway south of Murrin Provincial Park.
Witnesses at the scene told The Squamish Chief three vehicles were involved.
Craig McMahon and his family spent the day in Whistler for his son's ski lesson and were heading south when the collision took place. He was a few vehicles back from the crash and believes one of the vehicles hit the rock wall.
"One car was flipped upside down," he says.
Three ambulances and eight police cars were on scene.
The Lower Mainland Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) unit is responding to the scene. The ICARS unit conducts forensic reconstruction of collisions that result in serious injury or death, from Pemberton to Boston Bar.
Highway 99 will remain closed for several hours as police investigate.
“There is no anticipated time of reopening, please avoid the area," says Cpl. Dave Noon.
Drive BC expects the next update at 6:30 p.m and updates can be found here.
If you witnessed what happened, contact our newsroom at [email protected]
