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Victim in fatal Coquihalla crash struck after offering roadside assistance

Click to play video: 'Air ambulance arrives at the scene of a serious crash on the Coquihalla'
Air ambulance arrives at the scene of a serious crash on the Coquihalla
WATCH: The Coquihalla was closed in both directions on Thursday after a serious multi-vehicle crash – May 16, 2019

A man in his 40s is dead after a multi-vehicle crash shut down the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt for several hours on Thursday night.

RCMP said the incident began when a small car collided with a northbound commercial vehicle. No one was injured and the people involved stood roadside to exchange information.

Two vehicles then approached the scene and caused what RCMP call “a chain reaction of collisions.”

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The driver and passenger who were standing by the side of the road following the initial collision were seriously injured and flown to hospital.

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A 47-year-old Salmon Arm man who stopped to offer assistance was pronounced dead at the scene by BC Emergency Health Services.

Several other vehicle passengers were treated at the scene, RCMP said.

The highway has since reopened.

WATCH: (Aired May 1, 2019) Driver handed fine in 2017 crash death of Japanese student on Coquihalla

Click to play video: 'Driver handed fine in 2017 crash death of Japanese student on Coquihalla'
Driver handed fine in 2017 crash death of Japanese student on Coquihalla

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