Mother, child die in Highway 1 crash in Chilliwack

Police say a mother and her child have been identified as the victims who died in a major crash along Highway 1 in Chilliwack Tuesday.

First responders were called to the eastbound lanes of Highway 1 near the Yale Road Exit just after 2:30 p.m. for reports of a multi-vehicle crash.

The mother and child were pronounced dead at the scene, while another child from the same vehicle was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

BC Highway Patrol says the second child is expected to survive.

Fundraiser launched to support family of victims

A GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs has been organized by Dirrae Young, a cousin of the family that lost the mother and child.

The fundraiser page identifies the mother as Layna, a 40–year-old woman, and identifies the two children involved in the accident as her eight-year-old twin sons.

Young says Layna’s family is praying for the second child who is currently in an ICU in Vancouver to make a full recovery.

Police investigating ‘chain reaction’ that caused crash

In total, six vehicles, and 10 drivers and passengers were involved in the crash, police say.

No other serious physical injuries have been reported, though investigators said initially that there were multiple fatalities and injuries.

Investigators say initial information suggests one or more vehicles stopped abruptly on the highway because of “an obstruction in the roadway.”

“At least one vehicle failed to stop in time and caused a chain reaction of collisions. Impairment is not believed to be a factor,” BC Highway Patrol explained Wednesday.

Reports have suggested the “obstruction” in the roadway may have fallen off of a commercial vehicle. Corp. Melissa Jongema with BC Highway Patrol says investigators are looking into these reports, adding “the owner of that item” has not been located.

The item is believed to be a ladder, she adds.

“We did have commercial vehicles who weren’t present as part of the collision but as witnesses. There were some trucks that were pulled over that weren’t involved in the actually collision, but did have to stop,” she said. “One of the involved vehicles had a commercial owner, but it wasn’t a semi truck or a large vehicle.”

The Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) is working to “identify all factors that led to this fatality.”

In a statement late Tuesday, BC Emergency Health Services said five ambulances with primary care paramedics, two ambulances with advanced care paramedics, one advanced care paramedic responder unit, and one paramedic supervisor responded to the crash.

“Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to five patients. Four patients were transported to hospital in stable condition. One patient was transported in critical condition by ground ambulance to the helipad at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and then transported onto further care via air ambulance under the care of Critical Care Paramedics,” BCEHS continued.

The highway reopened to traffic approximately 12 hours after the crash, at around 2:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen or has dashcam of the crash or the events leading up to it, to contact BC Highway Patrol at 604-702-4039.

-With files from Srushti Gangdev