“Almost Armageddon”: At least three dead in explosive 14 vehicle pileup on Highway 400
At least three people have been reported dead following a massive fiery pileup involving two fully loaded fuel tanker trucks and three other commercial trucks on Highway 400 near Toronto.
Chain Reaction Crash Results In Multiple Explosions
The fatal pileup happened in the northbound lanes of Highway 400 around 11:30 last night in Bradford, Ontario, about an hour north from Toronto.
About 40 minutes before the crash, there was a three vehicle crash less than a mile away, which caused lane closures and traffic slow downs that are thought to have contributed to the fatal pileup.
Today, at least three people have been confirmed dead and several more were injured. Police say that they haven’t been able to tell yet whether or not some of the vehicles involved in the crash contain human remains.
At least two dead on Hwy 400. They have not been able to look inside all vehicles. Some vehicles have been reduced to burnt metal frames. pic.twitter.com/cfpTiTdg7p
— Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) November 1, 2017
From the OPP’s Sgt. Kerry Schmidt:
“There was traffic that was queuing because of lane restrictions due to a second collision that had happened just prior,” Schmidt said.
“At some point, traffic was slowing, and the last vehicle in the line appeared to have smashed through all these vehicles and set off a chain reaction, fireball explosions with multiple fatalities.“
Though the investigation into the incident could take time, Schmidt says that a truck was likely the instigator of the crash: “For a collision of this significance, it would appear that it was a transport truck that came in and launched this chain reaction.” However, police say that they’ll be looking at both mechanical factors and operator error as they investigate the cause of the crash.
It took officials about three hours to contain the fire.
Schmidt also described the horror of the scene as the worst he’s ever witnessed: “I have never seen a collision scene of this magnitude with this significance. It is almost Armageddon. There are cars, twisted metal, debris everywhere.”
Witness Vincent Di Pinto told Global News CA, “I just saw on the corner of my eye a large transport slam nose first into a vehicle transport. Basically the second vehicle, the white transport, had literally rode right up the vehicle transport. The third vehicle which was a diesel vehicle carrying diesel fuel, it was laying in the quad, nose first and it was almost entirely engulfed in flames.”
Highway 400 Could Be Closed All Day Wednesday
This is why Highway 400 is still off limits. Closed from 88 to 89 until further notice. Photos taken by Darryl Dahmer in Skymaster 1 pic.twitter.com/wAtzrawsB0
— Jon Mace (@jonmace680NEWS) November 1, 2017
Parts of northbound Highway 400 remain closed today. Schmidt says that the highway could remain closed all day.
@CP24 Hwy 400 near 89. You can hear the explosions. pic.twitter.com/3tJZHoh7EO
— elle (@dixonsvixenn) November 1, 2017