The Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) was closed for nearly six hours on Monday night as police dealt with a fatal two-vehicle collision.

It happened around 7:40 pm, around 35 kilometres east of Revelstoke, when a westbound passenger vehicle struck a tractor trailer.

The initial collision caused the vehicle, which was a truck, to lose control and trigger a head-on collision with a second tractor trailer about 1 km later.

RCMP say alcohol may have been a factor.

Despite the best efforts by other drivers nearby to administer first aid, the driver, who was from Alberta, did not survive.

The driver of the commercial vehicle that was involved in the head-on part of the collision suffered serious neck and back injuries and was transported to Queen Victoria Hospital in Revelstoke.

Road conditions were rated as “good winter driving,” with temperatures around -5°C, clear roads and excellent visibility.

Hwy 1 was shut down while an investigation took place and the vehicles were removed from the road by a local towing company.

It reopened around 1:30 am today.