Yesterday’s chain-reaction crash during a blinding snow squall on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County did claim lives.
However, State Police say they can’t yet confirm the number of fatalities as the investigation is ongoing.
On Tuesday morning, PSP Troop L Public Information Officer David Beohm tweeted that the northbound lanes of I-81 remain closed between Exits 107-119.
“The clean-up is about half done,” Beohm wrote in a tweet at 6:25 a.m. Tuesday.
Just before 9 a.m., Beohm followed up with more information, confirming there were multiple fatalities in the crash. How many people perished as a result of the crash remains unknown.
“Due to extensive damage and continued clean-up, we are still working to get an accurate total,” Beohm writes, in part.
On Monday morning, just after 10, a blinding snow squall near Mile Marker 116 on the highway caused whiteout conditions. Those conditions led to up to 60 vehicles getting involved in a chain-reaction crash.
Several vehicles burst into flames and it took hours for emergency personnel to get them under control.
Police have confirmed that 24 people were injured and taken to 4 area hospitals for treatment on Monday. Those that didn’t require hospital treatment were taken to a triage center established at Wegman’s Distribution Center at the Highridge business park nearby.
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