Seven people had to be taken to hospital following a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 401 east of Chatham-Kent.
The Ontario Provincial Police said emergency crews responded to the crash in the eastbound lanes east of Orford Road, shortly before 11 a.m. on Friday.
A total of seven vehicles were involved in the crash, including four commercial vehicles and three passenger vehicles.
One of the passenger vehicles had seven occupants, two of whom had to be extricated from the vehicle by firefighters. All seven passengers were then taken to hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The eastbound lanes of Highway 401 were closed for several hours to allow officers to conduct an investigation and clear the scene. The highway has since been reopened.
Another multi-vehicle crash also occurred just east of the first in the westbound lanes at around 11:45 a.m. Four commercial motor vehicles were involved in the collision, including one that collided with the centre median guard rail.
The crash resulted in a partial lane closure in the westbound lanes, however, no injuries were reported.
Authorities said inclement weather caused by Friday’s snowfall resulted in poor driving conditions on the highway.
Drivers are reminded to slow down when road conditions are poor, leave extra space between vehicles, and turn on your full lighting system to increase your visibility to other vehicles both ahead and behind you.