A serious commercial vehicle collision caused major traffic disruption in Richmond, British Columbia, after a dump trailer struck the Cambie Road overpass along Knight Street, forcing authorities to shut down the busy southbound route while engineers examined the structure for possible damage.
The collision occurred Friday morning on Knight Street, just south of the Knight Street Bridge, according to Richmond RCMP. Police said emergency crews were called to the area at approximately 7:15 a.m. Pacific Time after receiving reports that a large commercial vehicle had collided with the Cambie Road overpass.
Images from the scene showed the aftermath of the dramatic crash, with the commercial trailer pressed against the overpass and highway signage along the northern side of the structure. The impact immediately raised concerns about whether the bridge and surrounding infrastructure had suffered damage that could make the area unsafe for motorists.
Southbound lanes of Knight Street were closed as police, transportation officials and city crews worked around the crash site. Drivers heading through Richmond were advised to avoid the area and find alternative routes because authorities could not immediately estimate when the highway would reopen.
Richmond RCMP said the closure would remain in place while officials assessed the condition of the overpass and confirmed whether the structure could safely support normal traffic.
Police acknowledged that the closure would create significant inconvenience for commuters and other travellers but stressed that public safety had to come first.
Knight Street is an important transportation corridor connecting Richmond with Vancouver and surrounding areas. A major closure during busy daytime hours can quickly cause traffic congestion on nearby streets as thousands of drivers search for alternative routes.
Authorities therefore urged motorists to plan ahead, allow additional travel time and avoid the affected section of Knight Street whenever possible.
The City of Richmond said that although the highway itself falls under provincial jurisdiction, municipal staff were assisting with the emergency response and structural examination.
Engineers and other specialists were brought to the scene to determine whether the collision had compromised the Cambie Road overpass or any nearby portions of the Knight Street transportation system.
Officials said a detailed structural examination would be necessary before traffic could safely return to normal.
The inspection process was expected to continue throughout the day.
Photographs taken following the collision showed the trailer resting against the overpass, creating a striking scene for drivers and residents in the area.
The position of the trailer suggested that the upper portion of the commercial vehicle had failed to clear the bridge while travelling beneath it.
As investigators examined the scene, questions emerged about exactly how the collision happened and what occurred immediately afterward.
Early information from police indicated that the driver had been speaking with investigators.
However, Richmond RCMP later provided additional details about the incident and the investigation.
According to police, investigators determined that the commercial vehicle had been towing a dump trailer while the trailer was in a raised position.
Because the trailer remained elevated, it was unable to pass safely beneath the Cambie Road overpass.
The raised trailer struck the structure with enough force that it became separated from the commercial vehicle.
Police said the vehicle itself was eventually located some distance away from the trailer.
That discovery became an important part of the investigation because the truck and trailer were no longer together when authorities examined the crash scene.
RCMP Cpl. Dennis Hwang said investigators determined that the dump trailer had been travelling in its raised position before failing to clear the overpass.
Police later said the driver of the commercial vehicle was not co-operating with investigators.
The Richmond Road Safety Unit subsequently took responsibility for the investigation.
