Final update – 9 pm – Westbound lanes were reopened around 4 pm but eastbound lanes were closed in the Quinte West area into the early evening as cleanup continued.
OPP posted around 9 pm that area was completely cleared and the 401 had reopened in both directions right through the Quinte Region.
4 p.m. UPDATE: Improvements are being made on the main Highway through the Quinte region.
Reports say the 401 between Brighton and Shannonville is slowly moving in both directions at Highway 37 following earlier collisions caused by more heavy snowfall.
The highway was closed for a number of hours following several crashes that the OPP say fortunately did not result in life-threatening or serious injuries.
UPDATE at 10 am – The 401 is now closed in both directions between Shannonville Rd. in Shannonville and County Road 40 in Brighton.
OPP East Region communications states buses are now transporting stranded people to the Duncan McDonald Community Gardens Arena in Trenton.
An estimated 50 vehicles are involved in the many collisions reported Tuesday morning. Expect a prolonged closure, as investigation and clean-up efforts continue.
OPP is working with the community to assist people and ensure their safety.
The OPP confirmed there have been no reports of life-threatening or serious injuries as a result of Tuesday morning’s collisions on the 401 in the Quinte West area.
Efforts continue to remove people and vehicles from the scene.
ORIGINAL STORY – A series of crashes has blocked the westbound 401 between Belleville and Trenton.
Traffic was stopped after just under a dozen crashes happened over a number of kilometers between Wallbridge Loyalist Road and Glen Miller Road starting before after 8 am.
The 401 is closed westbound at Wallbridge Loyalist and eastbound at Glen Miller Road while the cleanup continues.
Most of the injuries were minor to moderate but the driver of one big-rig is still unaccounted for at this time.
Two tractor-trailers were involved in a crash that started a major fire that did serious damage to at least one of them.
OPP, Quinte West Firefighters and Hastings Quinte Paramedics are now at the scene. Belleville Fire and Brighton Fire are on standby to assist.
The closure is expected to last for a long period of time (until mid-afternoon)
