The Ontario Provincial Police say southbound lanes on Highway 400 at Finch Avenue in Toronto have reopened following a fatal collision early Thursday.
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said the crash happened shortly before 7 a.m., just south of Finch Avenue, and traffic was diverted off the highway in the area.
Schmidt said the collision involved a loaded transport truck that crashed into slowing and stopped traffic, causing a seven-vehicle crash. At least one of the vehicles was on fire, he added.
He said the driver in the vehicle that caught on fire was pronounced dead.
In an update Thursday afternoon, police said it was a 30-year-old man from Richmond Hill who died.
The occupants of the other vehicles suffered minor injuries, Schmidt said.
“I have seen collisions like this in the past, in this same area, where driver’s are not aware of the slowing traffic and ends up in a massive collision,” Schmidt said.
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He said according to witnesses, the middle two lanes had slowed down while the right and left side lanes of the multi-lane highway were moving faster.
The southbound lanes were closed until around 9 p.m. for the investigation and cleanup, when police said the highway was in the process of being reopened.
Police said a criminal investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.
— With files from Ryan Rocca
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