A grim scene unfolded Tuesday morning when a 48-year-old plunged from an overpass onto Highway 401’s westbound express lanes at Islington Avenue, snarling Toronto’s rush hour. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say the fall happened around 7:15 AM, and the victim may have been struck by a vehicle or tractor-trailer. By just before 10 AM, authorities confirmed the person was pronounced dead in hospital.
The crash triggered a full shutdown of the westbound express lanes at Weston Road, with traffic grinding to a halt as far as the eye could see, per the Ministry of Transportation’s 511 update. All lanes reopened by 10 AM, but not before commuters felt the sting of gridlock.
Details remain murky, and the OPP is on the hunt for answers. They’re calling on witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to step up—dial 416-235-4981 with tips. As Toronto’s busiest artery clears, questions linger over how this tragedy unfolded above one of Canada’s lifeline highways.