Update: Emergency crews cleared the area as of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and traffic resumed back to normal flow. 

 

Traffic has been backed up as far east as Hwy. 22 after a horrific collision late this morning, claiming the lives of two people and leaving three with non-life-threatening injuries.

RCMP Cpl. Susan Richter says the initial investigation has determined a cube van was eastbound on Hwy. 1, west of Morley Rd., when it veered through the median and into the westbound lanes. This eastbound cube van caused a head-on collision with a white car. 

Simultaneously, a westbound semi was unable to avoid the collision and rear-ended the white car. A westbound cube van then struck the westbound semi.

The two occupants of the white car have been confirmed deceased. The driver and a passenger of the eastbound cube van and the driver of the westbound cube van were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Cpl. Richter says RCMP collision analysts remain on scene.

Traffic continues to be rerouted from the area through Morley Road to Hwy. 1A. It's expected to be impacted until at least 5 to 6 p.m. or possibly later, she says.

Motorists are asked to avoid the area.

"I understand traffic is quite backed up, possibly to Hwy. 22 already, and it's going to cause quite a bit of difficulty and slowdown in traffic for quite a while," she says.

At this time, additional information on the deceased will not be provided until the next of kin have been notified.