Icy Roads Lead to Fatal Pileup

A massive crash involving over 70 vehicles led to at least five deaths and dozens of injuries on Thursday morning. The pileup occurred on I-35 in Fort Worth, TX. Firefighters are referring to the crash as a “mass casualty incident.”

Rescue crews reportedly are facing very icy conditions as they try to comb through the wreckage. A Fort Worth fire department spokesman said firefighters put down sand, salt, and kitty litter to combat the dangerous road conditions.

Farther south, in Austin, TX, over 20 cars were involved in another pileup due to icy roads. According to officials there, one person was injured. No fatalities have been reported.

A significant ice storm that is impacting much of the Southern Plains and Ohio Valley is to blame. Tens of thousands of people are without power today, mostly in Kentucky and West Virginia.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear ordered state offices closed today due to weather. He also declared a state of emergency and asked people to stay off the roads if possible.

Parts of Kentucky got over half an inch of ice accumulation from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning! Crews around the state are responding to numerous reports of trees and power lines down. It could take several days to restore power in some spots.