Highway 401 multi-vehicle crash kills boy, 2 others east of Toronto
Three people are dead and five people remain in critical condition following a serious pileup Friday night on Highway 401, just east of Toronto.
By late Saturday afternoon, the highway's westbound lanes from Brock Street to Salem Road had reopened after being closed for several hours following the crash in Whitby, Ont., shortly before 11 p.m. ET Friday in the westbound lanes near Brock Street.
Ontario Provincial Police said a man and a woman travelling in one car were killed. The third victim was a 12-year-old boy from another vehicle. Police have confirmed 16 people were injured, including five critically.
"It's a huge collision — it's incredible to see that kind of destruction," said OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt. "It's unbelievably tragic."
Investigators say the driver of a transport truck failed to slow down entering a construction zone and rammed into the vehicle in front of him. A domino effect followed with as many as 20 vehicles involved in the crash.
Schmidt said there was "no chance" for the fully-loaded truck to stop in time.
"It's a pretty amazing scene and, when you see the damage that's been done on a lot of these vehicles, you don't even recognize them as a vehicle. It's just twisted metal with no recognizable features," he said.
Four transport trucks were involved in the collision, police confirmed. Several vehicles were trapped in the accident, some carrying children.
"They were screaming for help, they were screaming for blankets," said Pina Cambareri, who lives near the accident scene.
"We actually heard the crash and it felt like it trembled the house," she added.
Another witness said he didn't hear any brakes but what he heard was traumatic.
"I've never seen anything like it. I've never seen an accident like this," said Kevin Anderson. "People that get hurt or break a leg, but nothing like this," he continued.
"It was horrific."
Ornge dispatched three helicopters and three land trucks to help transport victims.
Several of the injured were sent to various local hospitals including St. Michael's, Sunnybrook and the Hospital for Sick Children.
Police are not releasing the names of the victims at this point. No charges have been laid against the truck driver.
