Transport fire closes eastbound lane of Highway 401 at Napanee

In the early morning hours of Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, emergency responders were dispatched to the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 just east of County Road 41, where flames were stretching skyward.

There, just before 5:15 a.m., a transport truck on the eastbound lanes of the 401 had blown a tire, leading to the vehicle catching fire in what quickly became a rather large blaze. Officers from the Lennox and Addington (L&A) County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and crews with Greater Napanee Fire Department attended the scene, where firefighters remained for over two hours, ensuring the fire was out and tending to hot spots, according to the OPP.

As of 12:30 p.m., one lane of Highway 401 eastbound remains closed in the area, pending the removal of the transport, Constable David Yome, Media Relations Officer for L&A OPP, said in an email to Kingstonist.

“The entire eastbound lanes were closed for a short time while first responders set up and had the scene under control,” Yome said, indicating that one of the eastbound lanes was reopened shortly thereafter.

The incident, while inconvenient, did not lead to any injuries – the lone driver of the transport truck was able to get out of the vehicle and did not sustain any injuries, Const. Yome relayed.

According to the OPP, when the truck is removed and the eastbound lane is reopened, police will notify the public via social media. Readers can find the OPP East Region on X (formerly Twitter) to monitor for updates.