Fatal North Van crash: Cyclist hit by truck after colliding with other bike

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A cyclist has died and another is injured following an incident near the Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver Sunday.

The cyclist had been riding with another biker when the pair collided on West Esplanade, sending the first into the path of a tandem dump truck.

The 55-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, and officials were in the process of notifying his next of kin on Sunday afternoon. The second cyclist survived with minor injuries.

Police said the crash occurred at about 1:45 p.m. Members of the RCMP, firefighters, a collision reconstruction team and the BC Coroners Service are investigating the incident.

"Why one (cyclist) struck the other, I'm not clear at this point, but we will determine that through the course of the investigation," North Vancouver Traffic Services Sgt. Bryan Fedirchuk said.

Everyone involved remained at the scene and is co-operating, he said.

Several emergency vehicles were at the scene in the hours after the crash, blocking traffic along Esplanade near Lonsdale Avenue. Large blue tarps were set up covering an area between the dump truck and the sidewalk, including a bike lane.

A witness told CTV News he'd seen the cyclist lying under the truck. Emergency crews arrived almost immediately, but they couldn't save the man.

"It's bad, it's bad… It happened instantly," Dinesh Aronbeker said.

He said the area can be dangerous because of heavy traffic, including large trucks back and forth from worksites along the waterfront.

In a statement Monday, police asked anyone who witnessed the crash and has not spoken to investigators to contact them at 604-985-1311.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Steve Murray

RELATED IMAGES 1 / 2 A bicycle lies on its side on Esplanade in North Vancouver following a fatal collision on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019. (Steve Murray / CTV Vancouver) Emergency vehicles block the scene of a serious crash in North Vancouver on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019. (Shane MacKichan for CTV News)