Highway reopened as survivors try to forget

A stretch of one of Canada's busiest highways that was the scene of a horrific crash Friday was reopened late Saturday night as survivors try to deal with the traumatic experience.

More than 60 vehicles were involved in a series of chain-reaction accidents that ended in a fiery crash that killed seven people and injured 45.

Only one of the victims, 24-year-old Anne-Marie Strnisa, from LaSalle near Windsor, has been identified.

The families of the other victims - three men, one woman and two teenagers - have been contacted by the provincial coroner but their names have not been released.

Officials will conduct forensic tests to identify the victims.

Road crews spent all day Saturday removing the burned and twisted wreckage from the highway and repairing the pavement, which had been damaged by the intense fires.

While the highway may be repaired, it may take years for survivors' emotional scars to heal.

Antonio Saldana was on a routine trip to London to pick up furniture with his partner when he found himself at the centre of the fiery crash.

Saldana broke a leg and badly cut his arm but managed to crawl to safety. He says all he wants to do now is forget the accident ever happened.

But counsellors say the victims can expect to have nightmares and trouble sleeping for the next few months.

While the exact cause of the crash is still not known, it's believed thick fog was a factor.

Visibility on the road went from excellent to dangerous in just a few minutes when the road was enveloped in a dense fog during the morning rush-hour.

Drivers were caught in the fog before they could slow down or react to the situation. Many cars ended up in the ditches on the side of the highway. Others slammed into each other, setting off a chain-reaction on the road.

In the worst accident, a tanker truck carrying fuel burst into flames. Fourteen cars and five semi-tractor trailers were engulfed in the fire. It was in that section that six of the victims were found. The other victim was killed in a separate collision.