At least five people died in a multi-car pileup involving up to 100 vehicles that shut down Interstate 35 west in Fort Worth, Texas, authorities said.
Every lane of the highway was closed as a result of the accidents on Thursday morning, which law enforcement attributed to slick roads following freezing rain and sleet overnight. Many people were trapped in their vehicles after the crash. First responders called the crash a “mass casualty incident.”
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After officials initially reported three dead, Fort Worth police spokesman Officer Daniel Segura later said five people died. Officials also said at least 36 people were injured. The number of cars and trucks said to have been involved ranges between 75 and more than 100.
Photographs and videos from local news outlets show overturned cars and other vehicles driven into and onto other cars. Police advised drivers of minimally damaged vehicles to exchange contact information before heading out once the jam cleared.
“If you don’t have to get out, please don’t get out,” Mike Drivdahl, a spokesman with the Fort Worth Fire Department, told NBC 5. “We have a lot of emergency crews doing a lot of work. The last thing we need is people who don’t need to be out getting into any type of accidents.”
NEW: Video of the devastating and disastrous 100+ car pileup in North Fort Worth, TX. Three fatalities have been confirmed.
?: @NorthTXWeather pic.twitter.com/h6eJsiCef8
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) February 11, 2021
“All North bound lanes of NB I35 Toll Express and regular lanes are closed at this time due to a major accident due to weather. Expect lengthy delays,” Fort Worth Police tweeted. “I35 is backed up in both directions from I30 to 820. Seek alternate route. If you are involved in a minor accident with no injuries, please exchange information and continue on safely. You can then notify your insurance when you arrive at your destination.”
The National Weather Service issued a tweet acknowledging the pileup while also warning how road conditions can quickly deteriorate due to the weather.
“So many traffic/accidents this morning, especially across the DFW Metroplex,” the NWS Fort Worth office said in a tweet. “These events are so dangerous because the ice is spotty. We can’t stress enough that road conditions could go from good to dangerous within blocks. Take it slow out there… #dfwwx #ctxwx #txwx.”
