Stunt driver dead after accident on Deadpool 2 set in Vancouver

A stunt driver has died following a tragic accident on the Deadpool 2 film set in Vancouver.

The crew of the Ryan Reynolds-starring superhero sequel was filming a motorcycle stunt sequence at Jack Poole Plaza, near the downtown waterfront, when something went terribly wrong Monday morning.

Witnesses told CTV News the stunt woman appeared to lose control of the motorcycle, which drove off set and crashed through the window of Shaw Tower across the street.

She was loaded into an Advanced Life Support ambulance that remained on scene for about 45 minutes before driving off without its lights or sirens activated.

Authorities have since confirmed she died, despite the efforts of first responders.

"Our hearts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of our crew member during this difficult time," a spokesperson for 20th Century Fox, the studio behind the film, said in a statement.

The cause hasn't been determined, but is under investigation by WorkSafeBC, which probes all employee fatalities in the province.

Officers from the Vancouver Police Department are assisting with the probe, and were seen taking statements from cast members, crew and bystanders following the accident.

Nathan Kramchynski watched the tragedy unfold from the seventh floor of Shaw Tower. He said the stunt driver did a couple takes or practice runs driving down a set of stairs and stopping before the street, but on the final attempt she zoomed onto the road and through a glass window pane, narrowly missing some pedestrians.

"The last one was quick and she wobbled out," Kramchynski said. "It was a thud, she just disappeared [into the building]."

The stunt woman's name hasn't been released.

Deadpool 2 began filming in the city in June, and the crew had been filming motorcycle sequences downtown for a few days before the accident.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Ben Miljure and David Molko