ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Six people have died as a result of Monday’s multi-car pileup on Interstate 81, when 80 vehicles crashed during a snow squall.
State police at Frackville said on Wednesday that the identities of the victims will be released once death notifications have been made.
Along with confirmation of the death toll, state police also released details about injuries that resulted from the pileup. Two dozen people were taken to four hospitals in the area by EMS. Those who were injured but able to extricate themselves and walk were taken by Schuylkill Transportation Service buses to the Wegmans Distribution Center in Pottsville for triage.
The accident took place just after 10:30 a.m. Monday on I-81 northbound in Foster Township, Schuylkill County. Videos posted to social media showed tractor-trailers and cars skidding and plowing into each other in whiteout conditions, with three tractor-trailers and two smaller vehicles catching fire.
A total of 80 vehicles were involved — 39 commercial and 41 passenger vehicles.
The stretch of highway remained closed through Tuesday until it was finally reopened at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.
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