Lane closures scheduled for east- and west-bound 401

Planned single lane closures will take place on Highway 401 between Highway 38 and County Road 6 today as the investigation into yesterday’s collision continues.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) issued a press release at 12:20 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018 regarding the lane closures and collision, which occurred yesterday afternoon at 2:45 p.m. on Highway 401 just east of Odessa in Loyalist Township.

The collision occurred when an eastbound tractor trailer travelling in the passing lane came upon traffic that had slowed and stopped due to a lane closure. The tractor trailer driver swerved into the driving lane and struck the back of an SUV sending that vehicle into the ditch. The tractor trailer veered again and went through the steel guard rails across the median, into the westbound lanes, where it struck a cube van head on. The transport entered the north ditch, struck a rock face, and immediately caught fire.

The driver of the cube van and several “good Samaritans” are being credited with pulling the unconscious driver of the tractor trailer from his vehicle to safety, according to the OPP. Loyalist Fire Services attended the scene and extinguished the fire.

The drivers of the three vehicles involved were transported to hospital by ambulance where they were treated for minor injuries. Both the eastbound and westbound lanes were closed for several hours.

Charges against the transport driver are pending further investigation.

Today there are planned single lane closures to allow for repair work to be done on the median guardrails. Currently crews are working on the eastbound side. All lanes are expected to be completely open by 3:00 p.m.

More to come as information becomes available.