Pennsylvania 80-car crash caused by snow squall led to six deaths
A total of 24 people were taken to the hospital with injuries from the accident
The massive pileup on a Pennsylvania highway on Monday left six people dead and involved a total of 80 vehicles, state police shared in an accident report on Wednesday.
There were 39 commercial vehicles and 41 passenger vehicles involved in the colossal accident. Earlier estimates claimed there were about 60 vehicles involved in total.
The death toll from the pileup went from an estimated three to six, state police shared. A total of 24 people were taken to the hospital with injuries from the accident.
Monday morning’s snow squall, an intense snowfall taking place over a short period of time accompanied by strong winds, closed Interstate 81 for over 24 hours.
Police were able to reopen the highway just after midnight on Wednesday, according to a tweet from Pennsylvania State Police spokesman David Beohm.
The severe storm made visibility and traction nearly impossible for drivers riding near mile marker 116 on the highway near Minersville, about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Once all the crashed cars were cleared, construction work was done to the road before it was officially reopened.
Over two dozen fire companies responded to the crash Monday morning as multiple vehicles caught on fire, according to John Blickley, deputy emergency management coordinator for Schuylkill County.
Videos of the horrifying crash quickly circulated social media following the accident.
One video shows the moment a man narrowly misses being hit by a car that is flying down the snow-covered highway. The man is standing on the shoulder of the foggy road as a sedan spins out of control straight in his direction.
Mike Moyne, who shared the first-hand account, shared the video to Twitter showcasing the extreme conditions leading to burning tractor trailers, people almost getting hit and a tow truck losing control while driving down the highway.
Videos show some cars moving quickly down the highway and crashing into other vehicles while others can be seen pulling off to the shoulder of the road.
Larger trucks and 18-wheelers were stuck on top of each other, some emitting smoke following the crashes. An out-of-control tractor trailer can be seen smashing into a dump truck, sending it spinning 180 degrees.
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