Pennsylvania – A massive vehicle pile-up resulting in a crash killed at least 5 on spot.
According to officials, a massive pile-up of vehicles at interstate 81 in Pennsylvania resulted in the death of five people on the spot. As many as 60 vehicles caught up in the pile-up resulting in a “large fire.”
Heavy snowfall was reported in the area before the fatal crash and all the lanes were closed between Exit 119 and Exit 116 – PA 901 in the Highbridge Park Road area, were closed for traffic.
According to the Schuylkill County coroner, five deaths are confirmed at the moment but the death toll is expected to increase as bodies are examined and monitored for injuries.
A representative of the Schuylkill County Office of Emergency Management stated that about 50 to 60 vehicles caught up in the pile-up resulted in multiple injuries. Three heavy tractor trailers caught fire which devastated the rescue operations.
A large fire that involved several vehicles was burning, causing a delay in the rescue operations.
“Highway message boards are directing traffic on I-81 north coming from west of Harrisburg to use US 22/322 north, traffic on I-81 north coming from east of Harrisburg to use I-78 east to PA 61 north, and traffic coming from the Lehigh Valley on I-78 west to use PA 309 north,” stated the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Monday after the fiery pileup crash.
One of the drivers involved in the pile-up crash Bob Kenney stated,
‘All of a sudden it was just noise – the car hitting car, truck, explosion. Something blew up back there with that big fire. It was just terrible, unbelievable.’
Most of the drivers said that it was hard to escape the pile-up involving 60 something vehicles as the conditions became white-out all of sudden followed by loud noise of explosions.
Majority of the drivers who managed to escape the massive collision said that low visibility and spout of heavy snowfall is the main reason for the massive crash.
