A “super fog” on Interstate 55 near New Orleans, Louisiana, caused a multi-car crash that left seven people dead and 25 injured Monday morning, police say.
The “super fog” was caused by a dense fog combined with smoke from marsh fires in the region, according to ABC News. In some areas visibility was zero, resulting in crashes involving at least 158 vehicles, the outlet reported.
Some vehicles caught on fire after the initial crash, and police said a tanker carrying “hazardous liquid” was involved in the wreck. In addition, three 18-wheel trucks went up in flames after colliding in the northbound lane, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre told CNN affiliate WVUE. (RELATED: 3 Killed, 3 Injured In Multi-Car Crash Outside US Border Crossing Station, ‘Smuggler’ Suspected: Video)
A “super fog” in Louisiana caused a multi-car pileup on I-55 near New Orleans after severely reducing visibility, police say.
Gov. John Bel Edwards confirmed that there were fatalities in the crash, but did not say how many people were killed or injured. https://t.co/iH0E5sVDio pic.twitter.com/Zg3IhrS75v
— ABC News (@ABC) October 23, 2023
Since the crashes left the area “completely gridlocked,” all first responders had to access the scene on foot, Sheriff Tegre said, according to CNN.
“I’ve never seen a crash like this. I mean I’ve traveled south Louisiana for quite some time and I’ve seen fog, but the pocket of fog we saw coming over the Manchac Bridge… It was like something you’d see in the Central Valley of California. It was total fog. Couldn’t see in front of you,” driver Lance Scott told WVUE.
“It was very scary because everybody had run out of their cars. The more you sat there… heard cars hitting everybody,” another driver, Kylie Cuevas, said. “There were explosions happening from the 18-wheeler way farther ahead. Kept hearing explosions. Not very good.”
Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement that he was praying for those hurt and killed. He said he wanted to thank first responders for their efforts, adding that, “The best way you can help them, besides exercising caution on the road, is to donate blood at your local blood donation center. It will help replenish supplies that are being drained today to care for the wounded.”
Louisiana state troopers are notifying families and investigating the exact causes of the crash.