Crash on Hwy 11 in Bracebridge causes 12-vehicle pileup

More than 12 vehicles were involved in a pileup on Highway 11 in Bracebridge Wednesday, sending one person to hospital with minor injuries.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say the crash happened between Alpine Ranch Road and High Falls Road at about 10-10:15 a.m. due to what police described as whiteout and icy conditions.

Sgt. Steve Mihills said it started as a single-motor vehicle crash, eventually leading to the pileup.

Muskoka EMS confirmed to CTV News a lumber truck was involved in the incident.

OPP closed a section of southbound lanes for several hours but has since reopened the road.

"First and foremost, if you don't need to be out there, please stay home. You can see the conditions are absolutely terrible, the roads are terrible and very icy underneath," Mihills said.

"If you need to go out, give yourself a good buffer, make sure you have your lights on, make sure your vehicle is cleared off properly and give yourself a lot of space."

He reminds drivers to pack emergency kits while driving in the winter, including things like a blanket, food and water. He said to have a fully charged cell phone and a full gas tank while out.