CLOSURE: Highway 401 closed due to 2 crashes in Ontario, one dead

UPDATE: The eastbound lanes of the highway reopened around 1 p.m.

Two serious crashes closed a portion of the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 in Durham Region on Monday morning.

A fatal motor vehicle collision involved three transport trucks in the eastbound lanes of the highway near Liberty Street just after 6 a.m., the Ontario Provincial Police said on X.

Traffic was stopped and slowed down for an earlier, serious collision closure at Liberty Street, the OPP said.

Police said a transport truck rear-ended a stopped transport truck in lane three, then continued on, sideswiping another transport truck in lane three.

One driver was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The OPP later said the person killed was a 29-year-old from commercial driver from Brampton.

No other vehicles were involved, and no other injuries were reported. 

The earlier crash involved two passenger vehicles around 12:10 a.m. near Bowmanville Avenue.

In an update, OPP said a passenger vehicle was disabled in lane one when it was rear-ended by another vehicle.

The driver and passenger of the disabled vehicle suffered critical, life-threatening injuries, police said.

A driver and passenger from the other vehicle sustained minor, non-life-threatening injuries.

Police asked drivers to avoid the area and plan alternate routes.

As of 9 a.m., eastbound lanes were closed from Courtice Road to Liberty Street South.

Lead photo: Ministry of Transportation

ROAD CLOSURE: All lanes on #Highway401 eastbound from Courtice Road to Liberty Street South in #Clarington are currently blocked due to a collision. #TorontoOPP and emergency services are at the scene. Avoid the area and plan alternate routes. More updates to follow. ^pia pic.twitter.com/y3hc5H9ElG

— OPP GTA Traffic (@OPP_GTATraffic) September 29, 2025