Two people are dead and several others were taken to hospital after a massive pileup on Highway 401 near Cobourg, Ont., involving more than 20 vehicles and a burning fuel tanker truck.
Police said Thursday evening that earlier reports five people died were incorrect.
At least 11 people were transported to hospital, most of them to Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg, about an hour east of Toronto. One or two other patients were taken to Trenton hospital. The Northumberland facility went into emergency mode, calling in extra doctors and staff to handle the influx of patients.
The wreck occurred at about 12:30 p.m. ET in the eastbound lanes during blizzard conditions. The highway was closed in both directions, backing traffic up for several kilometres.
The bodies of the two people killed were found still inside their vehicles. They could not immediately be removed, said Gordon Glibbery, site commander for Northumberland Emergency Medical Services.
"It appears that the initial accident occurred in front of (the tanker) involving a couple of tractor-trailers and some small vehicles," Glibbery said. "The tanker truck, in an attempt to evade the accident, itself got into an accident and exploded."
Several tractor-trailers were also involved in the crash.
One Toronto motorist was driving by in the westbound lane when he witnessed the carnage unfold.
"All of a sudden, 'bang, bang, bang,' and I pulled over and started stopping the traffic," he said. "We got it all stopped, but by the time I went back there, it was all in flames, it was just burning."
Flames shot upwards of 60 feet or more, local reporter Pete Fisher told CTV Newsnet.
A plume of black smoke billowed into the sky. OPP Insp. Mike Johnston said the tanker was carrying a "flammable liquid," although it was too early to specify what type.
Those taken to hospital were admitted with broken bones, bruises and lacerations. At least one man was critically injured, officials said.
Dozens of provincial police officers and other emergency crews, including an air ambulance, responded to the accident.
Firefighters sprayed foam onto the tanker truck and nearby vehicles to contain the flames on the eastbound lanes of Canada's busiest highway. The westbound lanes had to be closed as well because of the flames and heavy smoke.
Traffic was re-routed south onto Highway 2 between Grafton and Port Hope. Drivers were delayed for several hours.
Police would not comment on the cause of the crash, saying the investigation is ongoing. But heavy snow was falling and visibility was poor at the time of the accident.
The highway's eastbound lanes were expected to remain closed until Friday morning at the earliest, while police were trying to re-open the westbound lanes Thursday night.
Police would not comment on the identities of the deceased.
"The two fatalities that have occurred, they will be transported to the Centre of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy tomorrow," said Johnston.
With reports from CTV's Jim Junkin and John Musselman and files from The Canadian Press
