PHOTOS: ‘Like a Bomb Has Gone Off’ in Hwy. 401 Milton Crash

Halton | Milton | Ontario | Latest News |

Published October 17, 2017 at 4:17 pm

A dramatic crash involving four trucks has brought traffic along Hwy. 401 in Milton to a standstill on Tuesday afternoon.

A dramatic crash involving four trucks has brought traffic along Hwy. 401 in Milton to a standstill on Tuesday afternoon.

After speaking to the officers at the scene, “they say it’s like a bomb has gone off,” said OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.

“There is debris and parts … everywhere across the highway.”

Several people are in hospital with “minor injuries, fortunately,” Schmidt said.

The ongoing cleanup follows a five-vehicle crash which took place around 8 a.m.

“We still have all lanes of 401 westbound closed at Guelph Line,” said Schmidt at 11:20 a.m.

Four of the vehicles involved are commercial, or transport trucks, while one is a passenger vehicle, Schmidt confirmed.

One was carrying diesel, which spilled.

“There was a vehicle stopped on the shoulder. Another transport truck struck it, ripping its side open and spilling debris, diesel, and vehicle parts all across the highway,” Schmidt said.

In addition, vehicles were blocking all lanes.

Drivers heading westbound are being advised to exit at Hwy. 25 and detour, or go down to Hwy. 403 “and bypass that entire area,” said Schmidt.

With “commercial vehicles that are completely destroyed, there’s going to be a lot of work in cleaning this all up,” he said.

Wrecks involving commercial vehicles can take “much longer than what we would expect or want” it to, said Schmidt.

Cleanup crews are expected to arrive on scene sooner than later.

The circumstances surrounding the crash are under investigation.

Eastbound lanes “remained open the entire time but obviously, some visual distractions along the way,” said Schmidt.

UPDATE: Cleanup is expected to take four to six hours, police said at 12:30 p.m.

UPDATE: Vehicles have been removed from the highway as of 5 p.m., however, westbound lanes still remain closed. The westbound on-ramp from Martin St. (Hwy. 25) is also closed. Schmidt says the lanes will likely reopen by 6 p.m. 

UPDATE: Westbound lanes are open as of 5:15 p.m. The westbound on-ramps from Guelph Line and Martin St. (Hwy. 25) are closed.

UPDATE: A truck driver is being charged with careless driving, says Schmidt.

Photos courtesy of OPP

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