'Hardworking, devoted’ father of 9 killed in fiery Hwy. 400 crash

Widow of man killed in Hwy. 400 crash speaks out The widow of a man killed in a horrific 14-vehicle crash on Highway 400 is speaking out about her husband's loss. Scott Lightfoot reports.

The wife of 37-year-old North Bay truck driver Benjamin Dunn has confirmed her husband is among the three people killed in a fiery crash on Highway 400 south of Barrie on Tuesday night.

The pileup occurred shortly before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the northbound lanes of the highway near Highway 88.

At least 14 vehicles, including two fuel tankers, were involved in the deadly crash, which resulted in “massive fireballs and massive explosions,” police said Wednesday.

Speaking to CP24 Thursday morning, Dunn’s wife, Nikiyah Mulak-Dunn, described her late husband as a “very loving,” “devoted,” and “attentive” father of nine children, who range in age from one to 16.

“I woke up yesterday morning and saw everything on Facebook and panicked because that was the direct route that he takes at night,” Mulak-Dunn said during a phone interview.

The wife of her husband’s co-worker later sent her a photo of the crash and in the photo, Mulak-Dunn said she could see her husband’s truck was among the vehicles involved.

“It was a waiting game till the OPP confirmed later in the day that it was my husband,” Mulak-Dunn said.

“We are just in such shock and devastation and I’m trying to be strong for the children and we’re just crying around the clock. I’m just kind of in a zone of disbelief.”

Dunn’s widow said she called in a grief counsellor to help break the news to the couple’s children after school yesterday.

“We all sat down with family members and shared the news and it was a pretty sad time,” she said. “We tried to do it the best way we could and it was just a shock still.”

The names of the other two victims killed in the crash have not yet been released.

Driver inattention could be factor

The cause of the collision is still under investigation but Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told reporters Wednesday that driver inattention could be a factor.

The pileup took place after traffic had slowed down following a three-vehicle crash about one kilometre up the road.

Police told CP24 that some of the vehicles involved in the crash were reduced to “shells” after a fire spread down the highway, igniting everything in its path.

Several people were sent to hospital but police said they all sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The northbound and southbound lanes of the highway were shut down all day Wednesday but reopened early Thursday morning. Schmidt said one right northbound lane will be closed later today for environmental cleanup.