A tragic incident occurred on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in the death of a 53-year-old man. Reports from the police indicate that a wheel detached from a truck, striking two other vehicles and causing the fatality. Ontario Provincial Police Constable Rob Tihor mentioned in a video update around 1:12 p.m. that both lanes of the highway would remain shut down for approximately four hours as investigations were ongoing. As of 3:20 p.m., the affected stretch between Glendale Avenue and Niagara Street remained closed, with authorities indicating a prolonged closure period.
The collision took place at roughly 11:45 a.m. in the eastbound lanes headed towards Fort Erie, east of Niagara Street in St. Catharines, Ontario. According to Tihor, the loose wheel crossed into the opposite lane towards Toronto, leading to the unfortunate chain of events.
Tragically, the male driver of one of the struck vehicles, identified as a U.S. resident, was pronounced deceased at the scene. His 52-year-old male passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, the driver of the truck that lost the wheel emerged unharmed, as confirmed by the police, who did not mention any fines or charges in connection with the incident.
Following the impact, the wheel rebounded over the highway barrier and rolled into the city of St. Catharines, as detailed in a subsequent Twitter update by the authorities. Commuters heading towards Fort Erie are advised to exit the highway at Niagara Street and rejoin via the ramp past Welland Avenue. For those traveling towards Toronto, the recommended route entails leaving at Glendale Avenue in Niagara-on-the-Lake and re-entering the QEW at Niagara Street, as outlined by Tihor.
