A major pile-up on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County, which has was caused by a snow squall. Dozens of vehicles and semis were involved. At least three people are dead, and the school county coroner tells The Associated Press thatthat number is likely to rise.
Sarah Gulden reports.
“The snow came out of nowhere. I was just driving back and then I could see only one car in front of me, and then it went fully white and I couldn’t even see three feet in front of me.”
Lily Weaver is describing the horrifying moment she lost visibility while driving through a snow squall this morning
“Could only hear cars around me hitting each other.” It happened just after 10:30 a.m. on I-81 North near Minersville. Dozens of cars were involved in a deadly pileup between the 116 and 119 exits.
“There was a snow squall that came through here. That is what caused all of this, this big crash here. We’re thinking anywhere from 50 to 60 vehicles.”
Mike Moyer was also involved in the crash. His video posted to YouTube shows the chilling moment a vehicle crashes into others on the highway, narrowly missing an individual.
“I was hearing loud bangs and explosions, and then I saw the smoke. That was the one thing I could see was black smoke from the tractor trailer.”
The pileup caused multiple cars and tractor trailers to catch on fire.
“This is a big effort here to get all this fire out. There is no hydrants up here, so they have to bring water up here. So as you saw over here, there’s nothing but tankers lined up. This is a huge operation right here with the weather and all that.”
Officials say 24 people were taken to four different hospitals for treatment of injuries.
“They’re still active fire going on here. So until the fire’s out, we’re not going to be able to do any of our investigating as far as plotting where things are and whatnot.”
People who lost vehicles in the crash but did not suffer major injuries were eventually taken to the Goodwill Fire Company in Minersville, where the Red Cross set up a reception center.
