Two young people are dead and one remains in critical condition following a fatal collision late Saturday night in rural Chilliwack.
A car with three occupants crossed the cement barrier along Ballam Road, and rolled over into the Fraser River, around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. First responders were quickly on the scene and were able to rescue the three from the vehicle, which had travelled down an embankment into the river. Chilliwack RCMP say the car flipped and was fully submerged.
All three people were trapped inside.
(Video courtesy Curtis Kreklau/South Fraser News Services)
“Emergency responders arrived and located the vehicle down an embankment in the Fraser River approximately 10 feet from the dyke and immediately began rescue efforts,” said St. Krista Vrolyk, media spokesperson for the Chilliwack RCMP. “Despite CPR and life-saving efforts, two females, aged 17 and 18, were pronounced dead on scene. A 21-year-old male was airlifted to a regional hospital where he remains in critical condition.”
The quick response by emergency crews is reportedly due to a witness who was following the car and called 911.
Early Sunday morning, three friends of the victims were grieving at the crash site. They scrolled through photos of their friends, talked about their lives and consoled each other.
The names of the people involved will not be released by the RCMP or BC Coroner, Vrolyk says. The crash is still under investigation by the Chilliwack RCMP, the Lower Mainland District -Integrated Collision Analyst Reconstructionist Service (ICARS) and BC Coroners Service.
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They have not determined if speed and/or alcohol may have played a role.
“Fatal collisions are always tragic, but ones involving young people are particularly difficult,” says Vrolyk. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of all those involved in last night’s crash.”
The accident was at the same point on Ballam Road where a similar tragic crash took place in January of 2016. A memorial is still there for Connor Dash and Gerritt Niessen, who were 18 when they died.
The City of Chilliwack then placed a cement barrier between the road and the river to prevent similar crashes.
READ MORE: Friends gather to remember Chilliwack crash victims
READ MORE: Ballam Road barriers get a rough ride from Chilliwack resident
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