At least 2 dead after fiery crash on Hwy. 400 south of Barrie

At least two people are dead after a fiery crash involving at least 14 vehicles on Highway 400 south of Barrie and Ontario Provincial Police are warning that the death toll could rise.

It happened on the northbound lanes of the highway north of Highway 88 at around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says that traffic had slowed down along the highway due to a three-vehicle collision about one kilometre up the road when the pileup happened.

Schmidt said that five trucks, including at least two fuel tankers, were involved in the crash. Schmidt said that “massive fireballs and massive explosions” reduced most of the vehicles to “shells” with “nothing left.”

He said that “twisted transport trucks, destroyed vehicles and metal that is unrecognizable as to whether it is even a vehicle” now litter the roadway.

“It really is the most unbelievable scene I have ever seen,” he told CP24. “I don’t really know how to explain it but the people that are there on the scene right now and the first responders who were there were just shocked and amazed. It is beyond description.”

Driver inattention a possible factor

Schmidt said that while the cause of the collision remains unknown, driver inattention is being investigated as a possible leading factor.

One witness who spoke with CP24 at the scene said that he saw one transport stuck collide with the back of another truck that was carrying vehicles, causing a chain-reaction collision.

“The transport truck literally rolled right up the vehicle transport,” the man said. “After that I heard some popping sounds and then a loud explosion right above the roof of my vehicle. I got out and just looked back. It was just one explosion after another.

Schmidt said that both fuel trucks were “consumed by fire” following the crash.

He said that the fire then quickly spread along the highway, igniting other vehicles.

“As the fuel was flowing out of the trailers, which were split wide open, the fire was rolling down the highway and that is why we initially closed it (Hwy. 400) up at Highway 9,” Schmidt said. “People were literally running for their lives to not be encompassed by the moving fire that was on the highway and was down in the ditch.”

Schmidt said that seven or eight different fire departments responded to the wreck. He said that the crews on scene ultimately decided to let the fuel burn off for environmental reasons, a process that he said took about two-and-a-half hours.

Members of the OPP’s emergency response team are currently on scene searching the charred vehicles to see if there are any additional victims, Schmidt said.

Meanwhile, answers for why the deadly crash may have occurred are few and far between.

“There is no reason why a driver, especially an elevated driver in a large vehicle, would not be able to see slowing traffic up ahead,” Schmidt said.

Call for coroner’s inquest

The collision come six day after OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes held a news conference to express concern about a spike in crashes involving transport trucks where inattentiveness is to blame.

At the time, Hawkes said that while most transport truck drivers utilize caution on the roads a small percentage don’t and are essentially travelling in “ticking time bombs.”

In an email to CP24 on Wednesday morning, Ontario Safety League President and CEO Brian Patterson said he plans to call for a coroner’s inquest in light of the latest tragedy.

“The coroner is uniquely qualified to compel evidence to address this issue. Past inquests have resulted in significant change to make our roads safer and save lives,” he wrote.

Highway 400 is closed in both directions between County Road 88 and Highway 89.

Schmidt said that the highway itself sustained significant damage in the fire and will likely have to be repaved.

The closure is expected to remain in place throughout the day.