At least 10 people were killed and two dozen injured in a massive pileup on a Florida highway early Sunday, local media reported.
Investigators said that heavy smoke from a fire started near Interstate 75 close to the town of Paynes Prairie was the likely cause of the pileup, according to The Star-Banner newspaper, which is based in Marion County, the site of the crash. Authorities said there was also fog, which may have contributed to the poor visibility.
“We know it’s human-caused,” Ludie Bond, a spokesperson for the Florida Forest Service, told the newspaper. “Whether it’s accidental or intentional, that’s still to be determined.”
Around 20 vehicles were involved in the crash on both the northbound and southbound lanes, the newspaper said. There were also crashes reported on the route U.S. 441 but there were no reports of deaths or injuries.
The Flordia Today publication reported that of the approximately 20 vehicles involved in the crash, seven were semi-trucks. At least 18 injured people were taken to a nearby hospital.
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