Ontario Provincial Police say at least eight tractor trailers were involved in a chain-reaction crash that has shut down a section of Highway 401 east of the GTA.

The highway's eastbound lanes are closed at Burnham Street in Cobourg after the collision occurred between Cobourg and Grafton at about 3:20 a.m. Wednesday.

Weather and visibility were poor at the time of the pileup, police said.

Paramedics transported one person to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Until the vehicles are removed, eastbound motorists are being detoured via Baltimore Road, County Road 22 and County Road 23 (Lyle Street), OPP said.

The 14-kilometre stretch of the eastbound lanes will be closed for several hours to remove the vehicles and clean up a diesel fuel spill.

To prevent other traffic-related problems, police are urging people to stay on the designated detour route and avoid going off on their own routes.

This is the latest chain-reaction crash to occur east of the GTA this winter.

OPP have responded to a handful of multi-vehicle pileups that have occurred in near whiteout conditions.