Highway 11 reopens after major pileup, Orillia, Ont. continues snow recovery

Highway 11 reopened after Friday's snowstorm and pileup in Orillia and all vehicles were reportedly towed off the highway.

After nearly 50 vehicles were involved in a pileup on Highway 11 in Orillia’s snowstorm Friday morning, police reopened the highway Friday night, and all vehicles were reportedly towed off the highway.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience with this,” said OPP Act.-Sgt. Jake Daynes in a Friday evening update on social media. “Remember, drive safe, and only if it is necessary,”

Police confirmed that a 49-year-old died in the wreck and eleven others were transported to a local hospital with various injuries.

All eleven have since been released according to police.

Highway 11 was initially closed around the scene at the Old Barrie Road exit in Orillia but was then closed in both directions from Coldwater Road to Highway 400 in Barrie. Multiple secondary routes in the area were also closed on Friday and have since reopened.

Those who were stranded on Highway 11 in both damaged and undamaged vehicles were transported by Orillia city buses to a temporary warming centre at West Orillia Sports Complex.

“We were in the middle between the back and the front,” recalled Ivan Crnkovic who was stranded on the highway but escaped without any damage to his vehicle. “We could see the cars colliding behind us and in front of us.”

“Once you start sliding and you’re in one of those situations, there’s nothing you can do,” said Rob Van Hoorn, who was involved in the pileup. “Even though I wasn’t going very fast, it didn’t really make a difference.”

Orillia’s fire chief confirmed that the last of the drivers and passengers left the warming centre at around 10 p.m. on Friday and that all vehicles have been towed off the highway. He also told CTV News that those in undamaged vehicles were able to drive them home and those in damaged vehicles either rented cars or were driven home by friends or relatives.

According to Environment Canada, 40 centimetres of snow fell in Orillia between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday and another 20 centimetres was forecasted for Friday afternoon.

Orillia lifted its significant weather event declaration over the weekend, but the city and surrounding area was under a snow squall warning again on Sunday.

The townships of Springwater, Oro-Medonte and Tiny lifted their significant weather event declarations on Saturday.