Nightmare commute after crash closes all lanes of the QEW in Stoney Creek

A crash involving a tractor trailer shutdown a stretch of a major highway in Stoney Creek during Thursday’s morning commute.

The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) was closed in both directions between Fruitland Rd. and Centennial Pky for several hours.

Police say the collision between a car and a transport truck happened around 5 a.m.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says a transport truck lost control on the highway and went into a ditch. It took out several power lines in the area, leaving nearly 500 homes without electricity.

Hydro crews worked to fix downed lines and repair a hydro pole that was sheared in half by the truck as it careened into the ditch. The top half of the pole was left dangling over the QEW while crews attempted to clean up the mess.

Schmidt says the driver of the sedan is facing charges.

Drivers were left in commuter chaos during the shutdown. “In all my years I’ve been driving the QEW – about 18 yrs now – I don’t think I’ve ever seen the highway shutdown like this, except for when the truck hit the bridge,” said one commuter caught in the chaos. He was referring to an incident in July of 2014 when a massive truck crash on the Burlington Skyway.

The QEW has since reopened and police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision to contact OPP.

Live update from the scene. @morninglive @CHCHNews pic.twitter.com/GGjBuQ1iAI

— Diana Weeks (@dweeks_CHCHnews) September 20, 2018

#QEW closure between Fruitland Rd and Centennial St due to collision https://t.co/U3TfaNEnUt

— Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) September 20, 2018