Six people have been killed in a head-on collision on the main highway between Edmonton and Fort McMurray.
RCMP have confirmed that three others have been sent to Edmonton by air ambulance. STARS confirms that two of the injured are children.
Two pickup trucks collided Friday afternoon in snowy conditions on Highway 63, about 75 kilometres north of Wandering River.
"We do know that through preliminary reports that there was a northbound pickup truck carrying three occupants. It pulled out to pass another vehicle and collided with a southbound pickup truck carrying six occupants," said RCMP Const. Christina Wilkins.
A significant fire followed the collision, according to police.
Two of the deceased had been travelling in the northbound pickup truck with a teenage girl, who police said was pulled from the burning truck by passing drivers before emergency crews arrived.
The highway has been closed between marker 90 and 95. RCMP said that it will not reopen for at least another five hours.
Traffic in both directions is being rerouted to secondary Highway 881.
Police had advised drivers to stay off highways south of Fort McMurray due to a spring snowfall and reduced visibility.
The section of Highway 63 between Edmonton and Fort McMurray is a busy route and is considered one of the deadliest highways in Alberta.
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