Heavy fog caused a massive pileup crash involving 158 vehicles on a Louisiana highway on Monday morning, resulting in the death of at least seven people, according to state authorities.
The crash happened on Interstate 55 in St. John the Baptist Parish, west of New Orleans. The Louisiana State Police said the search for victims is still ongoing, and there is a possibility that more fatalities could be located.
At least 25 people were injured, with injuries ranging from critical to minor. Many of the victims sought medical assistance on their own. Police said that Interstate 55 will be closed for the “foreseeable future.”
Vehicles were crushed, piled atop each other and engulfed by flames. Some people got out of their vehicles and stood on the side of the road or on the roofs of their cars looking in disbelief at the disaster, while others cried out for help.
Troopers and emergency crews continue to work at the crash scene. Police said that a portion of the crash scene caught on fire shortly after the initial incident, requiring the off-loading of hazardous liquid from a tanker truck.
“Once the tanker is removed, first responders will be able to better assess the vehicles in that immediate area,” police said in a statement.
The crash also resulted in extensive debris in both the northbound and southbound lanes. Drivers have been advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes due to “heavy fog.”
The state police said that troopers were still working “to notify families, investigate the exact causes of the crashes,” and coordinate with the state’s transportation department to have the bridge inspected.
Meanwhile, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has called on residents to donate blood at a local blood donation center to “help replenish supplies that are being drained today to care for the wounded.”
“The combination of wildfire smoke and dense fog is dangerous, and I want to encourage all Louisianans in affected areas to take extreme caution when traveling,” Mr. Edwards said in a statement.
Traffic was backed up for miles in both directions on Interstate 55. The lack of visibility also prompted closures of parts of Interstate 10 and the 24-mile (39-kilometer) Lake Pontchartrain Causeway at times.
The National Weather Service said there were multiple wetland fires in the region. Smoke from the fires mixed with fog to create a “superfog.” Visibility improved as the fog lifted, according to the agency, but similarly dangerous conditions could occur in the coming days.
