Weather warnings became reality Thursday as a mix of freezing rain and snow fell over much of eastern Ontario.

Dangerous driving conditions started south-west of Ottawa and headed east as drivers braced themselves for what turned out to be a treacherous journey.

Fiery crash

Four trucks collided on Highway 401 between Joyceville Road and Highway 15 near Kingston early Thursday morning. Two of the trucks burst into flames.

The highway was shutdown in both directions for hours. Hundreds of people were trapped with nowhere to go.

"We haven't moved an inch; it's been over eight hours," said Amran Noory who was on a tour bus from Montreal heading to Toronto.

"It's a strange world. We have Wi-Fi but we don't have water and we don't have a way out," he added.

One eyewitness reported seeing balls of fire from a nearby overpass shortly after it happened.

Kingston's Deputy Fire Chief, Gary Bullock, said the drivers managed to get out on their own. "So it was just a matter of fighting the fire," he said.

Those involved in the crash suffered minor injuries and have been released from the hospital.

Ontario Provincial Police say freezing rain and speed were to blame.

"From that point they ended up colliding and losing control and as you can see in the background is what we got," said Sgt. Kevin Prentiss.

Dozens of collisions

By late afternoon Ottawa police had reported more than 47 collisions across the city and traffic along Highway 417 was tied up well into the evening.

Overall, many are saying Ottawa coped well and that this is winter's true arrival.

"Well, I guess winter is here. It's official," said Ottawa resident Sarah Dix.

The City started salting the streets at 4 a.m. Thursday. So the roads were slick, but manageable.

Some streets in Kingston and Brockville were coated in ice. Some residents slapped on some skates and glided down their streets and driveways.

Friday morning's commute could prove to be challenging. More snow is expected overnight.

Cancelled flights

Air travellers were grounded in some cases. The Ottawa International Airport had some mid-day cancellations and dozens of delays.

Planes started moving again once the freezing rain started to ease.

With reports from CTV Ottawa's John Hua, Karen Soloman and Claudia Cautillo