2 dead after fiery crash, explosions on Hwy. 401 east of Toronto

Two people are dead after a three-vehicle crash caused several explosions and fires on Highway 401 in Pickering, Ont. late Tuesday night.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said it is believed that a tanker truck carrying a full load of “highly flammable” liquid was travelling in the eastbound lanes of the highway when, for some unknown reason, the driver lost control and ended up in the westbound lanes.

Schmidt said the truck "exploded into a fireball" and the flames spread to an oncoming transport truck and passenger vehicle.

• How long will Highway 401 be closed? What you need to know here

"There were two other westbound vehicles that got tangled up within that mess with that fire and oil and flammable liquid basically spraying all across the highway and into these vehicles, which is what we believe right now may have triggered these two vehicles to catch fire," he told CP24 on Wednesday.

The driver of both transport trucks were pronounced dead at the scene, Schmidt confirmed.

"There was a third vehicle involved that also burned, those occupants… were able to escape their vehicle before being overcome by fire and smoke," he added.

'TRAGIC AND HORRIFIC SCENE'

Schmidt said significant repair work will need to be carried out before the highway can reopen.

"The situation is still very much evolving and ongoing," he said."(There is) a lot of investigative work left to be taken care of. (It was) an absolutely tragic and horrific scene as first-responders tended to that incident last night," he said.

"This will be an all-day affair for sure. There is a lot of work to be done. The bridge on Brock Road needs to be inspected. It took an incredible amount of heat. The light standards in that area, one of them in particular, will come down and be replaced."

• What drivers need to know about the Highway 401 closure that could last days

The road surface also sustained significant damage, Schmidt said.

"The explosions that were being reported in that area while this fire was ongoing actually extended not only to where the vehicle, the transport truck, was burning but as the fuel was pouring into the catch basins, there were explosions in the storm sewers that actually blew the storm sewers and the catch basins to pieces," he added.

At one point, police advised residents in the surrounding area to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution but that directive is no longer in place.

“At this point it is not a dangerous good,” Schmidt said. “It is not toxic to my understanding.” 

The area is expected to be closed for most of the day, Schmidt said. Drivers in the eastbound lanes of the highway can exit at Brock Road and get back on by taking the on-ramp and the off-ramp. For drivers in the westbound lanes, they will be forced off at Highway 412 but can get back on at Liverpool Road.

“Traffic congestion will be a significant issue in the morning,” Schmidt said.