Hamilton truck driver killed in 401 pileup, chemical spill

A 45-year-old Hamilton man has been identified as the victim of a multi-vehicle collision that led to a chemical spill on Tuesday and closed Highway 401 for more than 24 hours east of Brockville.

Police identified the victim as Ian Meville, a transport-truck driver. Police did not identify the cause of death.

Police said a “serious collision involving transports” occurred near kilometre marker 675 early Tuesday afternoon in which a corrosive material spilled and some vehicles were reportedly trapped underneath transport trucks.

Police advised Wednesday night that both eastbound and westbound lanes of Highway 401 had reopened.

Meaghan Quinn at Kingston General Hospital said a decontamination bay was opened at the hospital for all those who were exposed to the chemical, noting that the substance had been confirmed as fluorosilicic acid, which is used in fluoridating water and in aluminum production. Twentynine patients were brought to the hospital. Thirteen of the injured were first responders, Quinn said.

By 9 p.m., a number of patients had been discharged and others were being held for observation before it was decided whether they would be released or admitted.

First responders termed the highway pileup a “mass casualty” event due to the number of people exposed to the hazardous chemicals carried by the leaking tanker truck. The chain-reaction collision reportedly involved a dozen or more tractor-trailers in the wind-driven blizzard conditions, along with many passenger vehicle collisions.