Coquihalla Highway Northbound Remains Closed Due to Toxic Material Spill from Semi-Truck Fire

April 21 2026 - Northbound traffic on Highway 5 (Coquihalla) between Hope and Merritt is closed Tuesday morning following a late-night semi-truck fire that released toxic materials onto the roadway.

The incident occurred Monday evening south of Exit 276 (Comstock Road), roughly 31 km north of the Coquihalla Summit in the Larson Hill to Merritt section.

Full northbound closure spanning approximately 36 kilometres from Exit 250 at Larson Hill to Exit 286 at Merritt/97C

The fire involved hazardous cargo, causing contamination that required a full northbound closure spanning approximately 36 kilometres (from Exit 250 at Larson Hill to Exit 286 at Merritt/97C).Hazmat crews remain on scene conducting assessment, cleanup, and decontamination of the toxic material.

Southbound lanes were reopened overnight, but northbound traffic is still blocked with no estimated reopening time as of mid-morning.

DriveBC is advising drivers to use alternate routes via Highway 1 (Trans-Canada) or Highway 3 to Highway 5A through the Nicola Valley.Motorists are urged to check DriveBC.ca or the DriveBC app for real-time updates on incident DBC-90200 and to avoid the area due to potential health and vehicle risks from the contamination.

No injuries have been reported in connection with the fire. Updates are expected throughout the day.

Coquihalla Highway Northbound Remains Closed Due to Toxic Material Spill from Semi-Truck Fire