Two Hamilton people killed in fiery QEW crash in Mississauga; man charged with impaired driving

A 32-year-old Mississauga man has been charged with impaired driving causing death after two people from Hamilton were killed instantly in a fiery four-vehicle crash early Sunday morning on the QEW in Mississauga.

The two people killed, a 34-year-old man and a woman, 33, were in a vehicle that had slowed down or come to a stop in a construction zone on the busy eastbound QEW between Erin Mills Parkway and Mississauga Road when it was rear-ended by a car travelling at a “high rate of speed,” OPP said.

According to OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, the pair of vehicles immediately burst into flames, “all consumed by fire,” and the two occupants of the first vehicle were subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the car that struck them was able to free himself from the wreck, Schmidt added.

Schmidt said only the far right lane was open to traffic at the time of the fatal multi-vehicle collision, which happened just a few minutes after midnight.

He said with all vehicles forced into the one lane, the result was traffic slowdowns and congestion.

“Another vehicle reportedly coming in at a high rate of speed slammed into the last vehicle in line, causing a multi-vehicle chain reaction, pushing the vehicles forward causing four vehicles to be damaged,” Schmidt said in a video posted to social media today.

Police said family members of the two people killed have been notified, but their names have not yet been released.

Schmidt said there were no other injuries in the multi-vehicle crash.

The 32-year-old Mississauga man has been charged with two counts each of impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death.

Police have not yet released his name. He was held for a bail hearing.

Schmidt said police are urging any witnesses to the deadly crash to call Mississauga OPP at 905-858-8670.

Numerous people responded online to the OPP post earlier today.

One of those who commented said he was at the scene of the fiery crash, just a few cars ahead in line.

“Traffic was moving at a normal speed and then abruptly came to a complete stop just around the bend. My guess is someone was distracted and didn’t see the cars in front braking,” the man commented.

Another person said they weren’t surprised that a crash occurred on that part of the QEW.

“This part of the highway is so unsafe due to the ongoing construction. This is very sad and I feel so badly for the families involved.”

In response to that comment, another wrote: “It’s only unsafe due to some people driving in an unsafe manner…Only speeding will cause this kind of accident. It’s unfortunate people died.”