Two people are dead following a collision near Stony Plain Thursday afternoon.

RCMP said it happened at about 12:45p.m. at the intersection of Highways 770 and 627.

The pair was in a Volkswagen hatchback that collided with a gravel truck. The gravel truck smashed through a fence stopping on a property beside the road.

The driver of the truck tells CTV News the crash happened so quickly it was unavoidable. He sustained minor injuries.

RCMP collision analysts were on scene trying to determine the cause of the crash. Road conditions were good at the time.

“It’s very tragic, I just want to say our hearts do go out to the families. This shows what can happen on a clear day, you have to be aware of your surroundings and what’s going on around you,” said Staff Sgt. Steven Bergerman with Stony Plain RCMP. 

The highways were closed for about three hours as that investigation was ongoing. They have since opened again.

STARS was called to the scene but the air ambulance was called off before it took off.

With files from Bill Fortier