Two transport trucks after a collision on Highway 401, in Toronto, on Jan. 5, 2021.The Canadian Press
Traffic on a major Toronto highway began moving again Tuesday, nearly 11 hours after a morning crash destroyed a commercial transport truck and critically injured its driver.
Ontario Provincial Police posted video of the scene on social media Tuesday morning that showed the mangled remains of the vehicle and damage to infrastructure on the usually busy Highway 401.
Just after noon, police said two eastbound express lanes were reopening as machinery on-site continued to recover debris.
The busy commuter roadway into Toronto had been completely shut down for the cleanup operation, with traffic diverted to collector lanes.
Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said work would continue even after traffic resumed.
The crash happened near Allen Road at around 1:15 a.m., Schmidt said, and police are still investigating what happened.
He said the truck collided with a crash cushion separating the traffic lanes, and then the tractor became “sandwiched” between its trailer and concrete bridge supports several feet away.
The driver was taken to a trauma centre in critical condition where he remained Tuesday morning after being trapped inside for an hour and a half, Schmidt said.
“When I was looking at the damage to the truck, it was unbelievable that he was able to survive,” Schmidt said.
The ripped-open trailer and its contents – packages of meat – were spilled over the highway.
A new crash cushion was being installed after 12 p.m. to replace the destroyed barrier.
There was also a close call for the driver of another transport truck, who had pulled over for unrelated vehicle troubles before the crash.
While he was stopped, the second truck crashed “behind and beside” him, with photos from the scene showing both trucks in close proximity. The pulled-over vehicle wasn’t struck and its driver left the scene with no injuries.
“He’s very lucky to be alive,” Schmidt said. “He thought he was in a safe spot, and had he been out there doing something, he could very easily have been killed.”
Our Morning Update and Evening Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.