Icy conditions to blame for 35-car pileup on 401
Icy conditions to blame for 35-car pileup on 401
See: A portion of the four hundred one was closed early Sunday morning after thirty five cars were involved in collisions along the open up of highway. As Erica Vella reports, weather was likely a factor.
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Icy conditions show up to be the cause of the 35-car pileup on the four hundred one early Sunday morning.
Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told Global News police received a call around one a.m., about a multi-vehicle collision on the four hundred one in both eastbound and westbound lanes in the spread inbetween Avenue and Yonge.
“It was just a accomplish skating rink according to officers and people who were there,” Schmidt said. “Cars were slipping and sliding everywhere.”
.@TorontoMedics have converged on the four hundred one @ Yonge St for this
50 vehicle crash caused by black ice conditions. Numerous minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/OBMwhwoTZR
Early reports said upwards of fifty cars were involved but Schmidt told Global News that the number is closer to 35.
Toronto paramedics said seven people were transported to hospital, all with non-life-threatening injuries.
Firefighters had to salt the roads as they walked to avoid slipping on the black ice.
UPDATE: Collision: #Hwy401 WB/EB express b/t Avenue & Yonge – All express lanes remain BLOCKED, emergency crews still working at scene. ^cc pic.twitter.com/xnlY8bNLeS
“You have to reminisce, this is still late February, early March, so you can still see temperatures below the freezing mark, you can still see snow, and that’s what we got early this morning,” Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said.
“You had mild conditions during the day, then temperatures dropped below the freezing mark and you had snow falling,” Hull explained. “That snow can fall onto the warmer pavement then refreeze and cause a glazing of ice.”
Another contributing factor to the pileup – the part of the highway affected was an elevated portion.
“Whenever you have a highway that is elevated above the ground, the surface can get much colder quicker than if it was right on the ground,” Hull said.
Highway four hundred one eastbound and westbound at a standstill right now @ Yonge St. Black ice, crashes involving about thirty vehicles. #onstorm pic.twitter.com/oMmExyUcHc
The latest rain mixed with the milder conditions could have also washed off the salt and the deicing agents on the roadways which makes for lubricious conditions.
Schmidt said roads were able to be reopened around Trio:50 a.m., after everything was cleaned up and the MTO crews were able to get through with salt.
While accidents of this magnitude don’t happen often, and are usually a result of “specific weather events” when they do, Schmidt said it “comes down to always being present and alert to your surroundings and always looking down the road to anticipate road switches and traffic patterns.
“It’s hard to do but drivers need to be in control of their vehicles regardless of the road conditions.”