At least seven people died and 25 were injured in multiple car crashes involving 158 vehicles in Louisiana. The accidents were caused by a combination of “superfog” from marsh fires and dense fog. Governor John Bel Edwards called for blood donors and prayers for the victims. The crashes left a stretch of mangled and burnt cars on Interstate 55 near New Orleans. Investigation into the exact causes of the accidents is ongoing. The National Weather Service reported that wetland fires in the area mixed with fog to create the “superfog.” AP reported
At least seven individuals tragically lost their lives on Monday morning in Louisiana due to a combination of dense fog and smoke from marsh fires, resulting in a series of large-scale car accidents involving a total of 158 vehicles, according to authorities. The Louisiana State Police released a statement on Monday evening stating that 25 people sustained injuries, and the number of fatalities may rise as emergency responders continue their efforts to clear the crash scenes and search for victims. In light of the devastating events, Governor John Bel Edwards appealed for blood donors and requested prayers for those affected.
Videos and images captured the aftermath of the wrecks, presenting a scene reminiscent of an apocalypse, with a long stretch of twisted and charred vehicles lining Interstate 55 near New Orleans. The collisions were so severe that cars were crushed, wedged beneath one another, and some even caught fire. Onlookers stood in disbelief at the catastrophic sight, while others remained trapped inside their vehicles, awaiting assistance. One driver involved in the pileups, Christopher Coll, recounted his experience of being hit by an F-250 truck that rode on top of his work trailer, causing extensive damage. Amidst the chaos, Coll could smell smoke, hear cries for help from fellow drivers, and the sounds of crashing cars and bursting tires. He managed to escape through his passenger door, and bravely assisted others, pulling one person out through a car window.
Clarencia Patterson Reed was also caught in the wave of wreckage as she traveled with her wife and niece to Manchac. Reed described seeing people desperately signaling her to stop, but before she could react, her car was struck by two other vehicles from behind and the side. The collisions continued relentlessly for at least 30 minutes, with the constant sound of crashing in the air. Reed was able to scramble out of her vehicle, but her wife remained trapped inside, sustaining injuries to her leg and side.
Aerial photographs shared by the Louisiana State Police on their Facebook page showcased the extent of the devastation, with numerous wrecked cars and debris scattered across both the northbound and southbound lanes of the elevated interstate. This particular section of the interstate passes over swamp and open waters between lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas. As of Monday afternoon, state troopers were still in the process of notifying families, investigating the exact causes of the crashes, and coordinating with the state’s transportation department to inspect the bridge. The resulting traffic congestion stretched for miles in both directions on I-55, with portions of I-10 and the 24-mile Lake Pontchartrain Causeway experiencing closures due to poor visibility. School buses were called in to transport stranded motorists from the accident sites. State police reported that one vehicle had gone over the highway guardrail and into the water, but fortunately, the driver escaped unharmed.
Throughout the day, crews labored tirelessly to remove the damaged vehicles. Additionally, a tanker truck carrying a hazardous liquid required off-loading before a thorough assessment of the scene could be conducted. The National Weather Service took to social media to inform the public that multiple wetland fires were ongoing in the area. The combination of smoke from these fires and dense fog created what the agency referred to as a “superfog.” As the fog lifted, visibility improved, but the duration of the marsh fires, which emitted smoke noticeable and malodorous in the New Orleans vicinity over the weekend, remained uncertain.
The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported that several schools in and around New Orleans had to cancel classes or delay their openings due to the smoke and fog. The smoke emanating from the Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge was so thick that the city arranged for free masks to be distributed in eastern New Orleans and the Algiers neighborhood on the west bank of the Mississippi River..