A fallen sign forces the closure of Highway 401 near Whitby

All westbound lanes of Highway 401 are closed near Whitby after an overhead sign fell onto the roadway.

Authorities say the collision happened around 8 a.m. near Brock Street.

Images from the scene show a sign on the other side of the highway, completely blocking traffic. As a result, a long line of cars appears to be stuck on this stretch of road.

Ontario Provincial Police Sergeant Kerry Schmidt said the westbound lanes of the highway are now closed between Brock Street and Thickson Road.

“This will take some time to fix. It will require heavy equipment to come in, a crane to come in to remove the sign from the freeway,” he said.

Schmidt added that motorists should expect “major delays” in the area.

There is no information about casualties.