UPDATE – Reopened: 401EB closed in Kingston due to transport collision, fire

UPDATE (Wednesday, Jun. 16, 2021; 5:05 p.m.): According to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 have now been reopened.

UPDATE (Wednesday, Jun. 16, 2021; 11 a.m.):

A collision on Highway 401 eastbound shortly before 3 a.m. has closed the eastbound lanes near Joyceville for an indeterminant amount of time.

Frontenac Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a vehicle fire from a tractor-trailer that was parked on the shoulder of Highway 401 in the city of Kingston, according to a release from the OPP. A transport truck driver had stopped on the eastbound shoulder when another transport truck collided with the parked vehicle. A fire ignited on the second transport truck. Kingston Fire department extinguishing the fully engulfed transport truck, according to OPP.

All east bound lanes of Highway 401 near Joyceville, are closed.  An emergency Detour Route is in effect.  

According to the release, no people were inside the vehicle at the time of the fire. Kingston Paramedics attended the scene and transported one driver to Kingston General Hospital as a precautionary measure. 

The OPP and Ministry of the Environment are continuing with this investigation. Charges are pending. Kingstonist will continue to follow this story.

Original Article:

OPP say that there were only minor injuries when a transport struck a parked transport on the shoulder of Highway 401 eastbound, just east of Hwy 15 near Kingston overnight.

The collision, which occurred shortly before 3 a.m., caused the transport to become engulfed in flames. One of the transports was believed to be carrying hazardous materials, requiring special handling by an e-waste team using hazardous materials protocols.

Eastbound lanes of the 401 remain closed for cleanup and investigation. The reopening time is unknown. OPP ask drivers to please follow the marked Emergency Detour Route. More to come.