401 closed eastbound in Kingston due to truck fire, diesel spill

Highway 401 eastbound between Montreal St & Highway 15 in Kingston is closed on Thursday morning and is expected to remain so for much of the day following a truck fire in the early morning hours.

OPP and Kingston Fire and Rescue were called to the scene shortly before 2:30 a.m. for a report of a vehicle fire. On arrival, the vehicle, which was carrying clothing and mattresses, was already fully engulfed.

The incident caused a large diesel spill of about 1000 litres and the cleanup required will be extensive, with the possibility of water contamination. An investigation by the Ministry Of Environment is currently underway.

The collision may also have caused some bridge damage. Assessments are underway.

Reopening time remains unknown. The driver was unhurt in the incident. No charges have been laid at this time and the cause of the collision and fire is believed to have been a mechanical malfunction. More to come.