At least six people died and dozens were injured in a pileup of 133 vehicles in Texas, after a huge ice storm made the roads dangerously slippery at dawn on Thursday, officials said.
The first accident occurred at about 6:15 am on Wednesday at Interstate 35W in Fort Worth. Vehicles, including 18-wheel vehicles and passenger cars, skidded off the road and continued to hit each other as the pileup increased.
“The scene we saw today is really, probably, different from anything any of us has ever seen, and we pray to God that we will never see it again. Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers go to all those negatively affected by this tragic incident, “Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes told FOX 4 News.
Early respondents work at the site of a fatal accident on I-35 near downtown Fort Worth on Thursday, February 11, 2021. Police say at least six people were killed and dozens injured in a massive accident involving 75 to 100 vehicles on an icy interstate Texas. (Amanda McCoy / Star-Telegram via AP)
A significant ice storm spread across the south and midwest of the United States, covering Texas, the Ohio Valley and the Appalachians as it continued to move into the middle of the Atlantic.
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The rare icy conditions on the road caught drivers unprepared, leading to a catastrophic incident. Temperatures were in their 20s at the time of the initial failures.
Early respondents work at the scene of a fatal accident on I-35 near downtown Fort Worth on Thursday, February 11, 2021. Police say at least six people were killed and dozens injured in a massive accident involving 75 to 100 vehicles on an icy interstate Texas. (Amanda McCoy / Star-Telegram via AP)
The local Med Star service has transported at least 65 people for treatment at local hospitals, The Dallas Morning News reported.
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A large number of victims were health professionals, found wearing work uniforms and hospital badges, according to reports.
Hypothermia emerged as a significant concern as rescue efforts continued. Rescuers found it difficult to reach potential victims due to the same icy conditions that caused the accident.
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Noakes said at least four police officers were injured during the rescue efforts. The massive operation included 26 fire brigade vehicles, 80 police cars and 13 ambulances across the 800-meter accident area.
Some lawmakers questioned whether the area had been salted or sanded before the accident, with some reports indicating that the roads were not prepared.
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North Tarrant Express, a local agency that operates Interstate 35W, said maintenance crews began pretreating the runways early Tuesday morning in anticipation of bad weather.
“This tragedy deserves an immediate and thorough investigation,” tweeted state deputy Ramon Romero Jr. .. “This inclement weather was predictable and lives were lost because a private company did not do its part of the business.”
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Ramon said his office would open an investigation into the allegations and work with the Texas Department of Transportation to determine the truth.