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7 people killed in "horrific" Highway 63 crash

UPDATE: RCMP say the teenage girl who was pulled from the burning truck has died.

6 people were killed after two pickup trucks collided head-on on Highway 63 between Mariana Lake and Wandering River.

Police say a northbound truck was attempting to pass when it hit another pickup going southbound, causing a significant fire – RCMP are calling the crash “horrific”.

Witnesses say the vehicle tried to pass on a solid line while going up a hill.

STARS says that their helicopter airlifted 1 child from the scene; a Phoenix helicopter airlifted another child and an adult.

RCMP say the survivors are a 34-year old man, a young boy, and a female teenager who was pulled from the burning vehicle by bystanders.

The teenager was in the northbound truck with two other people, both of whom died.

The two other survivors were in the southbound truck; four other people in that truck died.

The highway is closed in both directions and traffic is being re-routed.

Drivers can take Highway 881 to avoid it.

Police are recommending against travel on the highways south of Fort McMurray because of poor visibility.

Published April 27, 2012