Winter weather conditions are persisting in Massachusetts and on Thursday night it led to a 15-vehicle pile-up. The string of accidents led to multiple hospitalizations but at this time no reported fatalities. Authorities are reminding drivers to be mindful of conditions as adverse weather will likely continue through the weekend.
Massachusetts State Police alerted the public to the pile-up early Friday after it took place around 11:20 p.m. on Thursday night. Numerous passenger cars and semi trucks on the eastbound side of the Massachusetts Turnpike seem to have fallen victim to icing on the roadway.
The state’s department of transportation reported the accident and subsequent road closure at about 11:00 p.m. Just minutes before that it had placed a 40 mph speed limit restriction on the turnpike between the New York border and Boston. As of 2:07 a.m., the department was diverting traffic off of the highway at exit 63 many miles from the site of the crash around exit 74.
More: Buffalo Called In The Military To Enforce A Driving Ban Following Deadly Snow Storm
Photos Massachusetts State Police
Police said that a number of individuals involved in the pile-up went to the hospital but did not provide details beyond that. Images posted by the police show at least nine different vehicles including a photo of two tractor-trailers sandwiching what looks like a Honda Accord completely underneath a Toyota RAV4.
According to local news reports, more snow is expected in the area on Saturday and could very well stick to the roads due to the cold temperatures. The best advice for anyone in the area is likely to stay off of the roads if at all possible.
Those who can’t avoid it do well to give themselves two or three times as much stopping distance as they might normally. Keeping a full emergency kit including water, snacks, and a blanket is a good idea too because even when not a part of the wreck itself, it’s not uncommon to end up stuck in traffic for hours behind an accident of this sort.