[kellyhound]

Tractor-trailers and other vehicles lost control and slammed into each other, people leapt away from careering trucks seconds before collision and at least three people were killed and more than a dozen others injured during a snow squall on a Pennsylvania highway Monday.

The crash on Interstate 81 was captured in videos posted on social media that show drivers and passengers lining the snowy road and jumping out of the way as a cascade of crashes unfolds.

Dr. David J. Moylan, the Schuylkill County coroner, said three fatalities had been confirmed by late afternoon and that number could rise because fires were impeding rescuers.

In one video, an out of control tractor-trailer smashed into a large dump truck turning it nearly 180 degrees, another large truck caught fire and spewed black smoke into the air, and an SUV struck a passenger car sending it spinning narrowly past a person standing on the shoulder in snow and fog.

Stopped vehicles rose like a wall in front of the driver, and a person on the roadway stretched their arms out and jumped to escape the runaway vehicle. The impact sounded like thunder.

The Schuylkill County Office of Emergency Management said the crash in northeast Pennsylvania happened around 10:30 a.m. Monday. John Blickley, the agency’s deputy emergency management coordinator, said officials believe a snow squall clouded visibility and likely contributed to the crash.

Estimates of the number of vehicles involved from the emergency management agency and state police ranged between 40 and 60, including multiple tractor trailers. Blickley said emergency personnel from four different counties took about 20 patients to area hospitals for treatment.

Three tractor trailers carrying unknown cargo were on fire when emergency personnel arrived and some smaller vehicles were also on fire, he said.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm said Monday afternoon that the fires were delaying a full investigation.

Fire units on the scene included a steady stream of water tankers because the crash is “in the middle of nowhere … there’s not a fire hydrant out here anywhere,” Boehm said.

The highway was snow-covered when the snow squall came through, he said. “All it takes is one person to crash into something and you have to pull off the road, but when you continue to drive at highway speed, this is what happens,” he said.

People whose vehicles were in the crash and the “walking wounded” were taken to the Wegman’s distribution center in an industrial park near the crash, he said, and a reunification center had been set up at the Goodwill Fire Company No. 1 in Minersville for people to meet friends or relatives or arrange accommodations.

[rhubarb_king]

This was on international news. Good to see the camera person had 1 functioning brain cell and thus decided to go to higher ground.
Would hate to be a responder to that bloody mess.

[HotPlate101]

Dang. Worst pile up I've seen since the last time it snowed in Texas.

Also why is there a corn now?

[Major_Tom]

That guy narrating the second video is fucking hilarious

I want him to follow me around.

"What am I gonna do about my CHARGAERRRR!!"

[foxfantastic]

My man in the second video deserves an award for keeping a cool head under pressure, not like some other people who keep repeating "let us out let us out let us out" like THAT and clicking your heels three times is gonna make it all go away

......and is the dude by the car that gets hit in the second vid the same guy who dodges out of the trailers way in the first video? Dude has those cat reflexes down pat

[DonaldP]

Jeez, I know it's counterintuitive, especially after you've just crashed into that situation, but FUCK guys, if you're in a pileup... exit your vehicle and GET AS FAR AWAY FROM THE ROAD and into the shoulder as you can. Otherwise, invariably a truck or car will come barreling your way. You're in a imminent danger situation.

[William May]

Ummmm.....maybe if the visibility is poor, you could slow down to 35 or so. Then maybe you could stop when you see something.

[foxfantastic]

Originally Posted by William May ↗

Ummmm.....maybe if the visibility is poor, you could slow down to 35 or so. Then maybe you could stop when you see something.

I was thinking the exact same thing. You can barely see ahead and truck driver is driving as if its a sunny day in Salinas

[hughjardon67]

Originally Posted by foxfantastic ↗

I was thinking the exact same thing. You can barely see ahead and truck driver is driving as if its a sunny day in Salinas

Thanks to both of you, yes, drive as fast (or slow) as the conditions dictate. Dumbasses for sure. Not that I enjoy siding with insurance companies/scam artists, but in this case I hope they use these videos to deny claims for those adding to the pile-up.

[Drastic85]

Stupid asses that get out and stand there. Apparently, they haven't seen enough educational footage on here.