A major pile-up occurred along Interstate 57 in Missouri on Thursday morning, resulting in multiple deaths.
The crash involved between 40 and 50 vehicles and occurred near Charleston, according toKFVS.
Zach Bolden, director of the Mississippi County EMS, confirmed to the station there were multiple deaths as a result of the accident. Several other motorists were taken to local hospitals, including one or two emergency responders.
Representatives for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Transportation and the MDPS did not immediately return PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
On Twitter, theMissouri Department of Transportationsaid the stretch of I-57 from I-55 to the Illinois state line will be closed “until further notice.”
Robert Hearne, the director of the Charleston Department of Public Safety, told KFVS that they first received calls about the pile-up around 8 a.m.
“As we approached the interstate, it was a very thick fog, you couldn’t — the visibility was less than 50 feet, so, the traffic had already backed up,” he explained. “We had multiple accidents on both sides of the interstate, the north and the southbound lanes were shut down.”
“It’s going to take all day to get this cleaned up,” Hearne added.
Apictureof the crash posted to Twitter showed a massive plume of black smoke stretching into the sky. Dozens of white tractor-trailers can be seen lining the interstate.
Radio stationKWOCalso posted multiple images from the crash on social media, with one photograph appearing to show a white SUV badly smashed between the front and rear of two trucks.
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“Praying for all the people involved in this horrible wreck,” Missouri resident Chasity Aubreywroteon Twitter. “Praying for the first responders as well.”
“They are calling for help from all over,” she added. “It’s at least a 40 or more pile up.”
source: people.com
