Major crashes during Thursday blizzard close Highway 401

OPP Cruiser view of Highway 401 in Northumberland County Thursday. Courtesy of OPP East Region X.

Northumberland OPP said 26 collisions were reported Thursday during heavy snow and poor driving conditions.

The first major incident occurred just after 11 A.M. in which emergency crews responded to a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 401 eastbound near Grafton.

Further crashes shutdown that portion of the highway. Minor injuries were reported. The highway was reopened at approximately 2 P.M..

A 13-vehicle crash was reported at about 11:30 A.M. on Highway 401 westbound in Cramahe Township.

Tractor-trailers, cars and trucks were involved. The Highway was closed at County Road 25, as one person was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

That stretch of Highway 401 reopened at 3 P.M.. OPP says injuries reported from all incidents were minor.