As many as 60 vehicles were involved in a fiery crash on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County Monday morning. The crash happened as a blinding snow squall passed through the area.
At about Mile Marker 116, in Foster Township, in the northbound lanes of the interstate, State Police in Frackville say between 50-60 vehicles piled up.
Several vehicles caught fire. And a total of 24 people were injured during the chain-reaction crash. They were taken to 4 nearby hospitals for treatment.
People who sustained injuries during the crash that were able to walk away were taken to Wegman’s Distribution Center at the Highridge business park, which served as a triage center.
When they’re released from that location, they’ll be taken to a reunification center established at Goodwill Fire Co. in Minersville.
Interstate 81 northbound remains closed as of 9 p.m. Police say the highway should remain closed for at least 6 more hours.
Numerous Schuylkill County fire companies and first responders were called into duty to respond to the scene. As of State Police releasing information after 8 p.m., fire crews remain on the scene in suppression efforts.
An investigation into this crash Monday morning remains active, police say.
- Editor’s note: Some media outlets are reporting this as a fatal crash, with multiple fatalities. We have been unable to confirm that detail with State Police, which is currently not reporting any fatalities. An attempt to confirm conflicting reports from other media outlets through the Schuylkill County Coroner’s office was unsuccessful, as State Police had since assumed control of public information on this investigation.
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