Falling trailer kills one

A 53-year-old Oakville man was killed this morning in a strange accident on the Queen Elizabeth Way in which a truck trailer fell from an overhead 427 ramp crushing several cars below.
The accident occurred at 6:24 a.m. when a transport truck carrying copper tubing lost its trailer on the ramp from the southbound 427 onto the eastbound Gardiner Expressway. The trailer fell onto the eastbound QEW, smashing at least four vehicles.
"I haven't seen much worse than this," said OPP Cst. Dave Woodford. "I don't think it can get much worse than what we are seeing this morning."
Police say two cars were hit by debris. Woodford said one vehicle was, "literally cut in half."
The Oakville man was extricated from his vehicle and airlifted to St. Michael's Hospital with critical injuries. He later died.
The driver of the truck, from London Ont., suffered a broken jaw and was taken to Trillium Hospital.
Three others, including an 18-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries and were taken by land ambulance to hospital.
The accident caused traffic chaos in the vicinity because the QEW eastbound was completely closed at Hwy. 427. Several ramps also had to be closed.
"This investigation will keep things closed well into the day, maybe into the evening," said Cst. Graham Williamson of the OPP.
An OPP reconstruction team is on the scene trying to determine what caused the accident. They will be looking at speed, the mechanics of the truck, the driver's record and fatigue. It's too early to determine if charges will be laid.

jstewart@mississauga.net