News Column

Two Dead in 100-vehicle Texas Pile-up

Nov. 23, 2012

At least two people were killed and dozens were injured when up to 100 vehicles collided on a Texas highway in dense fog.

The chain reaction of collisions left trucks twisted on top of each other and rescue workers rushing to pull survivors from the wreckage.

Sheriff's Office Deputy Rod Carroll said: "We have 18-wheelers on top of cars, we have cars on top of cars. It's just catastrophic."

He added that rescuers were still looking for victims.

The Thanksgiving holiday morning crash happened on Interstate 10 about 80 miles east of Houston, near the city of Beaumont.

Between 80 and 120 people were taken to area hospitals, and at least eight were critically hurt, according to officials at Acadian Ambulance service.

It was not clear what triggered the pile-up, but Mr Carroll said the fog was so thick that officers did not realise right away they were dealing with multiple accidents.

The victims, a man and a woman, were killed when their Chevy SUV was crushed by a tractor-trailer.

Mr Carroll said uninjured drivers tried to help as officials sorted through the wreckage.

He said: "It's just people helping people.

"The foremost thing in this holiday season is how other travellers were helping us when we were overwhelmed, sitting, holding, helping people that were injured."



Source: (C) 2012 Evening Times


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