6 dead, dozens injured after Texas freeway pileup

At least six people are dead and dozens more injured following a major traffic pileup in Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday amid wintery conditions.

Authorities announced the latest figures during a press conference Thursday afternoon. The identities of the victims has not yet been released, according to local affiliate CBS DFW.

A total of 65 people reported injuries that required medical attention as a result of the pileup, according to police, while 36 required transportation to the hospital.

“First responders actually had difficulty getting to the vehicles,” said Michael Drivdahl, a public information officer for the Fort Worth Fire Department.

“As they were making their way on the freeway to get to those vehicles it is very slippery. We did have to get quite a bit of sand out here … we did everything we could to get as much traction as possible.”

The total count of vehicles involved in the pileup stood at more than 130 as of Thursday afternoon, according to authorities.

It’s unclear how seriously injured drivers/passengers are but
details from a Fort Worth Police incident report, are alarming. Someone reported hearing drivers screaming from their cars, first responders had trouble getting those in need of treatment away from the scene. @wfaa

— Eric Alvarez (@EricWFAA) February 11, 2021

Photos from the scene confirmed the involvement of numerous smaller vehicles as well as larger tractor trailers.

The accident appeared to occur on express toll lanes that are part of Texas’s Interstate 35, which shut down all northbound toll lane traffic as a result.

Here at the scene in North Fort Worth of one of the worse disasters I have ever seen in this area. Pray. Pray hard. 100+ of vehicles… @CBSDFW @CBSNews @ABC @WeatherNation @weatherchannel @ReedTimmerAccu @FoxNews @cnnbrk pic.twitter.com/HFpeJoRA2Q

— Jason McLaughlin (@NorthTXWeather) February 11, 2021

BREAKING: @NorthTXWeather tells me there are at least 100 vehicles involved in the massive crash along 35W and NE 28th in Fort Worth https://t.co/RPhPsS7d6o pic.twitter.com/S3AzmIBoGT

— Madison Sawyer (@MadisonSawyerTV) February 11, 2021

The largest pileup in recorded U.S. history occurred in 2002, when around 216 motorists were involved in a massive wreck on Interstate 710 in California.

–Updated at 5:55 p.m.