Local police confirm at least six individuals were killed and numerous more were injured in an incident involving 50 vehicles in Mississippi County, Missouri, on Thursday. According to Missouri Highway Patrol, the incident halted both northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate-57.
By the Mississippi County Sheriff's Office, the collision happened at 8 am. Officials are also looking if the incident was due to the cloudy weather. The collisions happened at Charleston, South Carolina, on the Mississippi River, near the state's border with Missouri.
Vehicles, Trucks Crash in Missouri
As stated in the sheriff's office, patients were transported to at least three different hospitals in the vicinity, and at least 12 ambulances and two air ambulances were dispatched to the incident, as per CBS News. According to Missouri Department of Transportation, I-57 is closed in both directions from Interstate 55 to the Illinois state boundary.
Tractor-trailers were strewn over I-57, both on the road and in the highway's median. As responders surround the spot, the contents of the trucks - some pink stuff, some white - are seen strewn across the road. The identities of the victims have not been revealed, according to Mississippi County Coroner Terry Parker. The coroner stated that the number of fatalities is not expected to rise, "the recovery stage is over."
The reason for the accident is still being investigated, according to Kinder, although foggy circumstances are thought to have played a role. The collision occurred near Charleston and involved between 40 and 50 automobiles. Multiple deaths were reported as a consequence of the collision, according to Zach Bolden, director of Mississippi County EMS. Several additional drivers were also involved, CNN reported.
Missouri Interstate Road Remains Close
"This is a major incident with many crashes involving several tractor-trailers and deaths," the Missouri Department of Public Safety said on Facebook, adding that no timetable for reopening I-57 has been set. Both lanes are closed, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol is conducting a large-scale cleaning and a major-crash death scene investigation.
The Charleston Department of Public Safety got complaints about the pile-up at about 8 am, according to Robert Hearne, the director. Based on the report, he approached the interstate and it has very thick fog, the visibility was less than 50 feet, so, the traffic had already backed up, he explained. Multiple accidents on both sides of the interstate, the north, and the southbound lanes were closed down.
The line of automobiles running from the accident site has expanded, according to drone footage released by KFVS. The wreckage continued to emit a cloud of smoke. Multiple photographs from the incident were also shared on social media by radio station KWOC, including one that appeared to show a white SUV smashed between the front and back of two trucks.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Transportation, and the Missouri Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond for comment. The Missouri Department of Transportation said on Twitter that I-57 will be closed "until further notice" between I-55 and the Illinois state border, People via MSN reported.
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