Serious crash on Highway 1 in Burnaby causes huge traffic delays

A serious collision closed a section of Highway 1 on Wednesday morning, leading to huge traffic backups and delays.

Drive BC said the crash happened just before 12:30 a.m., shutting down all westbound lanes between Kensington Avenue and Sprott Street in Burnaby.

B.C. Emergency Health Services told Global News that one person was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Burnaby RCMP said the closure could last into the early afternoon hours.

B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation has been criticized in the past for allowing major highways to be closed for hours while investigations are underway.

In July, B.C.’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger said that time is required to document the scene of a serious or fatal incident and while reopening highways as quickly as possible is a priority, it can only happen after investigators have completed their work.