By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A routine morning commute turned fatal last Wednesday when a van carrying construction workers veered off Highway 40, claiming the life of a 19-year-old worker from Drummondville and leaving four others injured.

The single-vehicle accident occurred in the early morning on the westbound lanes near Avenue Saint-Charles in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Quebec provincial police (SQ) confirmed the van rolled multiple times before coming to rest in the highway’s median.

Emergency responders arrived swiftly but were unable to save the 19-year-old, who was pronounced dead at the hospital. The four other passengers, all employed by the same construction company, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to local medical facilities.

The SQ is investigating the circumstances of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest the van was transporting workers to a job site when the driver lost control. Weather conditions were reportedly clear at the time, prompting questions about potential factors contributing to the accident.

The crash triggered significant traffic disruptions, with westbound lanes closed for several hours as forensic teams documented the scene. The closure created backups stretching into the West Island as far back as the Sources Boulevard exit during the morning rush hour.

The SQ continues its investigation and urges any witnesses to contact its tip line. n