Fatal crash of logging truck probed

Driver dies after plunge into water

The B.C. Coroners Service and Work Safe B.C. are investigating a fatal logging truck crash near Caycuse on Wednesday.

The truck’s driver died after his truck went down an embankment and into a large pool of water.

According to the B.C. Coroners Service, the victim was a man in his 60s. His name has not been released.

“It’s certainly terrible news,” said Lake Cowichan Mayor Ross Forrest. “We’re a logging community, we have a lot of logging truck drivers and loggers who are affected by it. I’m sure there are a lot of people who are really shaken up by this.”

The truck was about two kilometres past Nixon Creek, near Timber West’s Honeymoon Bay operations, when it reportedly hit a patch of washed-out road and plunged down the embankment.

The area has been hit with heavy rain, with 200 millimetres falling in the four days leading up to the crash, according to Environment Canada.

Forrest said Timber West owns the private logging road and is responsible for maintenance.

Timber West did not respond to questions about road maintenance and whether heavy rain fall created unsafe road conditions.

The driver was a subcontractor for Kaatza Logging, which is a contractor for Timber West.

Kaatza said it would not be commenting at this time out of respect for the man’s family.