Multiple vehicle pileups occurred on major highways during snow and slick roads in New York and Pennsylvania on Thursday, sending at least seven people to the hospital and causing one fatality.
AccuWeather.com
More than 3 dozen vehicles involved in crash on I-81 in New York
As many as 37 vehicles piled up on I-81 near Lafayette, New York, 10 miles south of Syracuse, at around 2:20 p.m. EST Thursday. KY3.com says that seven people were taken to area hospitals, and the interstate was temporarily closed in both directions for around five hours. Video from the New York State police showed several dozen cars and several trucks entangled.
A pileup on I-81 in New York Thursday. (NY State Police)
Accident turns deadly on I-79 near Jackson Center, Pennsylvania
A multi-vehicle accident on I-79 northbound at exit 122, near Jackson Center, Pennsylvania, closed the interstate for several hours. Erie News Now reported that a 22-year-old Erie resident died in the incident, which was about halfway between Pittsburgh and Erie.
A radar loop shows snow moving across Pennsylvania and New York on Thursday.
Pileup on I-90 in Erie, Pennsylvania
At 1:40 p.m. on I-90 westbound near Erie, Pennsylvania, all lanes of the interstate were closed for several hours after more than one multi-vehicle crash, according to YourErie.com. Video from storm chasers showed multiple jackknifed tractor-trailers and smashed cars. One large pileup resulted in a “massive EMS and rescue response,” according to storm chasers, but no information on casualties was available.
A pileup on I-90 in Pennsylvania Thursday. (Live Storms Media)
There were other accidents across Erie County, including one involving a Fairview School District school bus, according to a video from Live Storms Media, showing a bus being towed out of a ditch.
A school bus is pulled out of a ditch near Erie, Pennsylvania Thursday. (Live Storms Media)
I-80 closed near Clarion, Pennsylvania, after pileup
Another pileup took place on I-80 Thursday morning around 10:30 a.m. near Clarion, Pennsylvania. The accident caused the temporary closure of I-80 at Exit 60, WTAJ reported. Video from storm chasers showed multiple semi trucks jackknifed at the bottom of a hill on a curve. There was no word on the number of injured. Storm chasers said smaller multi-vehicle crashes also occurred behind the main incident.
A pileup on I-80 in Pennsylvania Thursday. (Live Storms Media)
Multi-vehicle crash on I-86 in Greenfield Township, Pennsylvania
A multi-vehicle crash occurred 13 miles east of Erie, Pennsylvania, at 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon near exit 89. I-86 westbound was closed until 4:30 p.m., YourErie.com said. No information on injuries was available.
Safe driving during snow squalls
Unfortunately, chances for snow squalls continue over the Northeast into next week. These sudden heavy snow events can quickly cause visibility to become reduced and roads to become slick. If you encounter a snow squall, use our safe winter driving tips or follow the advice in the video below about driving in snowsqualls.