A male driver and his two female passengers have been pronounced dead after a vehicle lost control, crashed into a guardrail and burst into flames near Pearson International Airport early Saturday morning.
It happened on the ramp from northbound Highway 427 to westbound Highway 401 at around 4 a.m.
Two of the victims were pronounced dead on scene while the third was pulled from the vehicle by bystanders and then rushed to hospital, where they eventually succumbed to their injuries.
Police say they have not yet determined what caused the crash.
“At this point we are looking at every option. We don’t have any indication from direct witnesses so we are appealing to any witnesses that may have seen the vehicle prior to the collision to come forward and speak with police and we are following up with the original owner of the vehicle and family members,” Const. Kerry Schmidt told CP24 at the scene. “We don’t know if alcohol, fatigue, distraction or any other factors played a part in this. It is still very dynamic.”
Schmidt said that the bystanders were pulling one victim from the car when the fire began and were unable to get the other two out due to the flames.
One of those bystanders, Eric Quach, said that he and others “tried” but were ultimately unable to save the three people trapped in the car.
“I saw the car on fire and then I just saw people running towards it so I pulled over to see what was happening and that’s when I noticed that there was someone inside the car. I ran back to my car to grab something so I could break the window but by the time I came back the fire was just way too big,” he said. “The cops weren’t there yet, the ambulance wasn’t there yet, the fire truck wasn’t there yet and we tried but there was just nothing we could do.”
One of victims is believed to be Mississauga rapper
Though police have not identified the victims at this point, a number of people have taken to Twitter to identify one of them as up-and-coming Mississauga rapper Shane Redway.
Hip Hop magazine Complex also tweeted that Redway was one of the three people killed in the crash.
RIP young Redway. He was on his way to greatness. Everybody only had amazing things to say. Gone too soon. God bless his fam and friends.����
— #OG (@KardinalO) August 1, 2015
“Lost my brother today. Life is crazy. #RIPREDWAY,” producer Ebony Oshunrinde wrote on Twitter.
Drake also paid tribute to the rapper on Instagram on Saturday.
“REDWAY's GONE???? Somebody make this make sense to me.... I'm literally at a loss for words here!” comedian Trixx tweeted.
According to a biography posted on MTV's website, Redway has recorded with U.S. rapper Wiz Khalifa and dancehall artist Beenie Man.
Speaking with CP24 on Thursday afternoon one hip hop promoter, who introduced Redway at Toronto's Manifesto Festival last year, said the city's music scene has lost a "cornerstone."
“He was a real genuine guy. Every time I saw him no matter what was going on in his life or what not it was just always positive energy,” Urbanology Magazine Promotions Lead Phillip McPherson told CP24. “His work ethic and all the time he put into his music and just being a craftsman…I am at a loss for words. He was young, up-and-coming and he had a bright future in front of him.”
Damien McIntosh, Redway's manager, described the rapper as a "hard-worker" who was beloved by those who knew him.
(He was) a special guy, very special," McIntosh said.
"Just one-of-a-kind."
A crowdfunding page has been set up to help raise $10,000 to cover the expense of Redway's funeral. The page can be viewed by following this link.
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