Photo courtesy Ministry of Transportation

Williams Lake, B.C. – Highway 20, about 25 kilometres west of Williams Lake, remains closed to traffic due to a washout this morning.

The Ministry of Transportation is conducting a geotechnical assessment. A detour is available via Soda Creek Road, Buckskin Road, West Fraser Road, Chilcotin Meldrum Road to Highway 20.

The washout occurred about one kilometre west of the Sheep Creek Bridge sometime between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Search and Rescue, BC Ambulance, the provincial emergency program and police were all called to the scene.

North District Cpl. Madonna Saunderson said a car traveling along the highway was washed away in the rushing water though one person was safely pulled from the Fraser River and taken to hospital for treatment.

It’s unknown whether there are more people or vehicles unaccounted for.

The washout is estimated at larger than 150 metres.