EDMONTON -- Two people were taken to hospital Wednesday afternoon after a crash involving a pickup truck and a semi trailer. 

It happened around 3:30 p.m. on Manning Drive near 18 Street. 

A fire official on scene confirmed that a hydraulic tool was needed to extract one of the victims from the truck. 

Both people in the pickup were taken by paramedics to the University of Alberta Hospital. 

Traffic was reduced to one lane and southbound drivers were backed up for kilometres. 

The EPS Major Collision Investigation Unit was called to the scene and an officer said the investigation would take several hours. 

A staff sergeant in charge of the after-hours media relations in the northeast division declined to provide any details on the crash.