BARRIE, Ontario, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- A stretch of Canadian highway was closed Thursday after a massive pileup left 96 vehicles smashed, police said.

Ontario Provincial Police said no serious injuries were reported in the chain-reaction accidents that took place about 9 a.m. on Highway 400 south of Barrie, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.


Police said they expected it would be well into the afternoon before the section of the highway between Highway 89 and Mapleview Drive was reopened.

Authorities had yet to determine what triggered the pileup, but the CBC noted there were snow squall watches in effect for the region with blowing snow expected.

The network said the Ontario Transportation Ministry website indicates more than 80,000 vehicles travel Highway 400 daily along the stretch affected by the crashes, and said traffic was heavy along Highway 27, an alternate route.