The Toronto-bound lanes of the QEW have been shut down west of St. Catharines after a transport truck plowed into a road crew overnight, sending two people to hospital<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ontario Provincial Police said in a tweet around 1:15 a.m. that the Toronto-bound lanes of the highway were closed from Victoria Avenue to Ontario Street, near Beamsville<\/p>\n\n\n\n
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CP24 the collision occurred as maintenance crews were working on the highway<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere were blocker trucks and vehicles protecting the scene in the left lane and the middle lane and around 12:30 a transport truck plowed into the back of that last sign truck, trapping of the truck driver,\u201d Schmidt said<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 22-year-old driver of the transport truck was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, Schmidt said<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The impact of the collision also caused the vehicle that was struck to hit a 39-year-old road worker. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere was a significant diesel spill as well on the highway, which is going to require extensive cleanup as well,\u201d Schmidt said. \u201cThere’s really debris all across the area\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the Toronto-bound lanes of the highway are expected to remain closed for several hours, possibly until noon, for the cleanup and investigation<\/p>\n\n\n\n