Massive pileup crash in Fort Worth after freezing rain hits Texas
At least 5 people have died in a massive pileup crash on Interstate 35-West near downtown Fort Worth, Texas that took place at about 06:00 CST on Thursday morning, February 11, 2021. A Mass Casualty Incident has been declared.
According to Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman, Michael Drivdahl, about 100 vehicles were involved in the pile-up, likely caused by ice.
At least 5 people had died and 36 others transported to local hospitals.
Most people involved in the accident had been rescued or removed from vehicles by about 10:30 LT, Drivdahl said, adding that many vehicles still need to be removed off the highway.
Several people are in critical condition, others in serious, and the rest are still being evaluated, MedStar Mobile Healthcare spokesman Matt Zavadsky said.
The process of untangling the cars will take multiple days because of the nature of the accident and the number of vehicles involved, the Dallas News reports.
All northbound lanes of I-35W, including toll lanes, were closed, with traffic backed up in both directions from I-30 to I-820, Fort Worth police said.
From midnight to 06:00 LT, MedStar responded to 19 multiple-vehicle crashes in Dallas, with six of them between 04:30 and 06:00 LT. At least 3 people lost their lives.
80 crashes were reported in Arlington from 22:00 LT on Wednesday to 07:00 on Thursday.
Garland police said they responded to 13 major accidents and 54 minor. In Irving, police responded to at least 49 accidents.
Bridges were frozen over across Memphis, Tennessee, and parts of I-40 and I-69 were covered with ice in Tennessee and Mississippi, The Weather Channel reports.
Several vehicles were involved in a crash on I-240 at I-40 in Memphis, WREG reported.
WDRB reported that freezing rain and snow left streets in Kentucky and Indiana covered with snow and ice early Thursday.
More than 20 crashes were reported in Louisville, Kentucky, from 23:00 LT on Wednesday to 09:00 on Thursday, including a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 71 at Barbour Lane.
Another multi-vehicle crash closed I-24 in Kentucky's Christian County at about 08:00 LT, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Freezing rain from Texas to Ohio is now shifting into the Mid-Atlantic, NWS said.
Featured image credit: WFAA
Texas insanity- but I think the roads management could be doing more with advisory signs as we have in 0z, miles ahead warning of the pile up, and getting drivers to slow down well ahead of the incident, instead of the speed being maintained that Fedex rig was barrelling in like the driver was totally unaware of what was in front of them. and all the other rigs, lucky there was no fire- the toll could have been more than a few bucks!! illuminated signage – driver advice must be implemented across the US illuminated signage more frequently on these open speed roads. A terrible event in mid winter. Made me feel uneasy watching as we knew we were watching people die!