401 Pileup Disaster

A bank of fog, drivers going too fast, and a stretch of highway that's the busiest in North America. These factors contributed to a horrific crash on highway 401 near Windsor just after 8:00 AM.

Seven people are confirmed dead, 62 injured. It's considered among the worst highway accidents in Canadian history. Emergency officials continue to sift through the smouldering wreckage, trying to determine if there are more victims.

Eyewitnesses described it as a nightmare. Injured screaming people were everywhere, some trapped in demolished burning vehicles. Dozens of injured were transported to area hospitals, some in critical condition.

The accident is tragic, but some believe it was entirely predictable.

There is increasing pressure on the government to spend more money to make the roads safer. More than a dozen people have been killed on a stretch of 401 near Chatham in the past six months alone.

Today's crash was a little further west, but many of the same problems persist. The shoulders of the highway are soft and narrow, and the flat terrain can cause driver boredom.

The government has just received a report from safety specialists, proposing major investments in the highway.

Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty says its time to spend the money, but Transportation Minister David Turnbull isn't prepared to talk about the government's long term plans yet.

The highway just east of Windsor will remain closed until tomorrow morning.