A wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont. last night has left four people dead, including an infant, Ontario’s police watchdog says.
The crash occurred after a vehicle fleeing a robbery in Clarington entered Hwy. 401 in the wrong direction, Durham police said previously.
Police were called to the robbery around 7:50 p.m. and their pursuit of the suspect vehicle is now the subject of a probe by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
Dashcam footage sent to CP24 shows a vehicle in the right lane pulling off the busy highway to avoid a van travelling towards it, as well as a police cruiser, its lights flashing, pursuing the van.
Images from the scene shared by motorists trapped on the highway following the crash showed a transport truck with the front cab crumpled in, as well as smoke rising from the crash site.
A transport truck involved in a collision after a police chase on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont.
While police said Monday night that the crash resulted in fatalities, it was not clear at the time how many people had died. Police have not provided any further details so far on the identities of those who died.
The SIU is expected to provide more details on its investigation later this morning.
Emergency vehicles arrive at the scene of a fatal crash after a wrong-way police chase on Hwy. 401 in Whitby, Ont.
The fiery crash shut down a stretch of highway 401 in Whitby in both directions from exit 406 (Lake Ridge Road/County Road 23) to exit 410 (Brock Street/County Road 46). The closure lasted overnight and into the morning rush.
Some westbound lanes of the highway reopened by around 8 a.m. At around 9:45 a.m., Ontario Provincial Police said the highway had completely reopened in both directions.