87-year-old dead, eastbound 402 closed following south London crash

An 87-year-old Sarnia man is dead following a three-vehicle collision on Highway 402 in London that sent four people to hospital, Friday afternoon.

OPP estimated the eastbound lanes of Highway 402 between Colonel Talbot and Wonderland roads would be closed for 8 hours, with an estimated reopening time around 12 a.m.

It's the second time this week that highway has had to close for a crash, with it only reopening earlier in the day following a chemical spill that closed a different section of road on Wednesday and Thursday.

Provincial police say this latest crash happened just before 12:30 p.m, metres away from the OPP West Region Headquarters.

"So far, it's been determined that an SUV was traveling westbound crossed over into the eastbound lanes and collided with a minivan. That SUV then collided with a transport truck, and ultimately the SUV came to rest in the ditch," said OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk.

"Three people in that minivan were transported to hospital with various injuries, and I'm sad to say an 87-year-old passenger in that van ... was pronounced deceased in hospital."

The extent of the other three injuries reported by police aren't clear.

Police asked drivers to avoid the area, and plan alternate routes for their afternoon commute.

"The ... lanes are going to remain closed for, probably, the next eight hours, while members of the OPP West Region Traffic Incident Management Enforcement Team continue to put the pieces of the puzzle back together to determine exactly what happened," Sanchuk said.