Despite all precautions, car crashes still occur with alarming regularity across the U.S., a situation that's only escalated with the pandemic. Some are freak accidents like a bridge collapse or a Corvette that ran through two auto shop walls in California, but by and large, most occur on the open road. Such was the case on Friday when more than 100 cars collided with each other on the icy surface of a highway in Fort Worth, Texas.
At Least 8 Killed In Icy Accident
Reports at this writing cite that eight people were killed in the mishap that occurred around 6 am local time on Interstate 35, with more than 60 people requiring hospital treatment. Early morning traffic had to deal with freezing rain which led to the massive accident. The pileup that reportedly involved 133 vehicles was so compact, it left several people trapped in their cars and trucks, with the frozen surface making it difficult for first responders to reach accident victims.
Even when rescuers were alerted about the mishap, the pileup kept getting larger, expanding to roughly a half-mile, as vehicles were unable to avoid collisions until traffic came to a stop several minutes later. The Dallas Morning News reported that the situation was so massive, 26 fire department units, 80 police cars, and 13 ambulances were dispatched to the crash scene.
FedEx Truck Slammed Into Barrier and Cars
Social media was rampant with postings that provided greater insight into the severity of the crash, including one video that showed how it started. Vehicles slowing down before reaching a toll booth appear to have sideswiped each other, sending one of them into a concrete barrier. Less than a minute later, a FedEx truck tried to slow down before veering to the left, causing the cab to jump the barrier and the container to slam into the cars in front of it.
"Seeing the video of the Fort Worth crash happening breaks my heart," posted one respondent. "I am praying for the families that said their last goodbye to their loved ones today."
"The footage of the Fort Worth car crash really just makes my heart sink deep into my stomach," added another. " If you have to drive to work these next few days please drive very slowly, put away your phone, and be alert."
Health Care And Police Officers Involved In Crash
While police are not able to release the names of those dead and injured from the accident, they did reveal that several people involved in the crash were essential workers, including health care employees. Four Fort Worth police officers were injured but were later released after being treated in hospital.
Source: The Dallas Morning News