New Orleans Crash Kills Eight, Injures 63
At least eight people were killed and 63 others hurt in a crash involving 168 vehicles on Interstate 55, just outside of New Orleans, authorities said Tuesday. A portion of the crash scene caught on fire shortly after the initial incident, and one tanker truck carrying a hazardous liquid was offloaded due to a compromised trailer.
The accident happened on I-55 in St. John the Baptist Parish, just outside of New Orleans. Police said 63 people were injured in the crash, with injuries ranging from minor to critical. One vehicle went off the interstate and into the water and the driver was rescued, according to available information.
Three 18-wheelers were involved in the accident, according to Louisiana State Police.
The crash occurred around 9:30 a.m. when a series of chain-reaction collisions took place on both the northbound and southbound sides of the interstate. The fog was so dense that it was difficult for first responders to reach the scene of the accident, according to available information.
Once first responders were able to reach the scene, they began to triage the injured and transport them to nearby hospitals, according to available information. The tanker truck was off-loaded by a hazardous materials team, and the fire was extinguished.
The interstate was closed for several hours while authorities investigated the cause of the crash and cleared the scene. Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a call for blood donors and asked for prayers for those hurt and killed.
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