Two dead in fiery pileup of trucks on dangerous highway in northern Alberta

FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. – Emergency crews say two people are dead following a fiery pileup of semi and pickup trucks on a dangerous highway in northern Alberta.

Fort McMurray deputy fire chief Brad Grainger says the six trucks crashed on an icy stretch of Highway 63, about 70 kilometres south of the oilsands city.

A tank on one of the larger trucks was full of diesel fuel, ruptured and burst into flames

Grainger says crews have the fire under control and are letting it burn out.

A dangerous goods team is also at the site and will be cleaning up the spill.

He says he believes no one else was injured.

RCMP have closed the highway and traffic is being detoured.