3 dead after multi-vehicle crash on highway in Becancour, Que.

The scene of a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 30 in Bécancour, Que. on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Source: René Abbott/Facebook)

Three drivers have died after a fiery five-vehicle collision on a highway about 150 kilometres northeast of Montreal, provincial police say.

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said the crash happened at around 2:15 p.m. on Highway 30 in Bécancour.

The collision involved one car, a van, a 53-foot truck, as well as two heavy trucks, which were transporting grain and rocks, that caught on fire.

Three drivers suffered critical injuries and later died, according to police. Two other drivers suffered minor injuries. The SQ said the road was dry and there was no glare at the time of the collision.

Collision reconstructionists are examining the scene Monday night while the highway remains closed in both directions.

"Preliminary information indicates that one of the vehicles ended up in the opposite lane," the SQ said Monday evening, adding that the investigation will try to clarify what happened.