Friday, July 11, 2025
There was a car fire on Highway 401 in Ajax, Ontario, which created significant delays to the flow of traffic on Thursday afternoon, affecting the westbound and eastbound lanes. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were sent to the scene to deal with the incident, which momentarily shut a number of lanes on the busy highway. By 3 p.m., the OPP reported all the lanes headed east were reopened, though drivers were requested to prepare for sustained delays following a massive backlog of automobiles.
Incident Details
The fire began near the eastbound lanes of Highway 401, just east of the busy road running through Ajax, Salem Road, around 2 p.m. The cause of the fire wasn’t yet known, and the OPP hadn’t released further details about the car itself. Emergency services and the fire department were quick to respond, containing the fire and keeping it from spreading elsewhere.
But since the fire was intense and a proper cleanup had to be done, several lanes of Highway 401 were closed temporarily, both ways. Most affected were the eastbound lanes, which are the ones with the heaviest commuter traffic, especially during peak hours.
In a post to their official social media channels, the OPP confirmed all lanes were open to eastbound traffic just prior to 3 p.m. But they cautioned that a major backlog of cars persisted in the area, as numerous drivers were attempting to process the scene. Although the eastbound lanes of the highway had been cleared, the westbound lanes were temporarily impacted as well, with some accounts stating the flames had reached the median before a speedy containment.
Traffic Impacts and Delays
As expected, the fire caused major disruptions to traffic on the busy highway. With both eastbound and westbound lanes affected at different times during the incident, the highway became gridlocked, particularly around the Salem Road exit. Commuters who use the highway regularly were warned to expect long delays, and many took to social media to share their frustration and seek alternate routes.
The heavy traffic and slowdown lasted for several kilometres both ways, with the backlog extending as far west as Brock Road and as far east as Whites Road. Those going east to Durham Region or the City of Toronto were hit hardest, as the fire happened in the midst of a very busy stretch of Highway 401.
Numerous drivers were trapped in the gridlock for several hours, and police cautioned all drivers to use extreme care. Road closure and fire cleanup were likely to persist until the afternoon, although the OPP had yet to announce an exact schedule for when normal traffic would return.
OPP and Emergency Response
OPPs The OPP responded swiftly to the scene, deploying officers to direct traffic and ensure that emergency responders could operate safely. The fire department, too, was quick to arrive, bringing the situation under control. While the fire’s exact cause has not been disclosed, it’s understood that the involved vehicle caught fire suddenly, and emergency personnel were able to extinguish the flames without incident.
The police authorities also urged the drivers to keep themselves updated through their official social media platforms, which had the latest information about the situation. OPP stressed the need for driver safety and requested everyone to refrain from distractions, stay inside their cars during the cleanup operation, and refrain from stopping on the highway shoulder.
Continuous Traffic Advisories
In spite of the reopening of the east lanes, the OPP cautioned that the traffic would continue to be heavy for a while as a result of the backlog created by the incident. Drivers going through Ajax or traveling eastbound along Highway 401 were advised to use alternate routes, if necessary.
The OPP’s Traffic Management Unit has been helping the municipal authorities and road crews to open the roads as soon as possible. Authorities are urging all drivers to check the road conditions en route and to exercise extra caution and take extra time while traveling.
Highway 401: An Important Commuting Route
Highway 401 is a busy highway in North America, running through the south of Ontario to connect major cities such as Windsor, Toronto, and the Quebec border. It’s a critically significant road for commuters as well as long-distance freight hauling. For that reason, any closure, particularly on segments such as Ajax, which are already densely trafficked during rush hours, automatically has wide-ranging ripple effects all over the area.
Drivers going back and forth between Toronto and the other areas of Ontario have been known to use Highway 401 as the shortest route. Where the incident happened, which was east of Salem Road, is a major intersection for both rush hour commuters going to downtown Toronto and drivers going to areas such as Pickering, Whitby, and Oshawa. Authorities are trying their best to minimize the disruption and have the traffic running smoothly as soon as possible. Drivers are requested, meanwhile, to remain patient and comply with all posted advisories.
