Visibility was drastically reduced by thick fog on a highway in the southern United States on Monday. So much so that more than 150 vehicles collided with each other, creating giant pileups and causing the death of seven people, according to the police.
“Initial investigations reveal that at least 158 vehicles were involved in this morning’s accident (…) seven deaths have been confirmed,” Louisiana State Police said Monday evening on Facebook, warning that the toll could become heavier. “More than 25 people were transported to nearby hospitals to be treated for minor to serious injuries,” she added.
Visibility reduced to less than 3 meters
At the start of the morning, extremely dense fog, caused by morning mist and smoke from swamp fires, drastically reduced the visibility of motorists, causing collisions. A portion of the road on which the pileup took place “caught fire shortly after the initial accident,” police said, sharing images of wrecked and burned vehicles.
“Super fogs” typically form when condensed water vapor mixes with smoke and moisture from burning, moist organic matter, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). During such episodes, visibility can then be reduced to less than 3 meters, according to the NWS.