Multi-vehicle crash closes eastbound Hwy. 401 in Cobourg
Posted February 26, 2014 5:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
All eastbound lanes of the Highway 401 are closed in Cobourg due to a chain-reaction crash involving at least eight tractor-trailers.
Ontario Provincial Police say it happened at 3:20 a.m. on Wednesday.
Police say the lanes between Cobourg and Grafton will be closed at least for several hours. One viewer told 680News the section was still closed early Wednesday evening.
There was also a diesel fuel spill and the cleanup could be lengthy. The Ministry of the Environment were called in after the spill.
One person received minor injuries and remains in hospital under observation.
Weather and visibility were reported to be poor in the area at the time.
Northumberland OPP Const. Karen German told 680News the weather can be treacherous through this area.
“It’s a straight stretch of highway, but because of the way the surroundings and the environment itself has been developed, and given the close proximity to the lake, it would probably take not much for the [lake-effect] snow to develop in the area,” German said.
In late January, a 30-vehicle crash through Cobourg also shut down the eastbound 401. Drivers at the time reported treacherous driving conditions, zero visibility and blowing snow covering the road.
