BAKERSFIELD, CA – A foggy morning on Interstate 5 in Southern California turned deadly on Saturday when 35 vehicles, including big rigs, were involved in a massive pileup. The calamity resulted in the tragic loss of two lives and left nine others nursing injuries.
The Kern County Fire Department spokesperson, Jim Calhoun, disclosed that the accident occurred around 7:30 a.m. west of Bakersfield. Upon arrival, emergency responders faced a daunting scene, with visibility reduced to a mere 10 feet due to the dense fog.
The pileup, which stretched for half a mile, included 17 passenger cars and 18 large trucks. The scene was described as one of chaos and desperation, with cries for help filling the air. Yesenia Cruz, one of the drivers caught in the pileup, vividly described the scene, “Everybody just started screaming for help, just like that, and there were little kids as well crying.”
Further complicating the situation, several of the large trucks involved in the accident had their saddle tanks ruptured, releasing a plume of compressed natural gas. This necessitated an immediate evacuation of the area by first responders, before they could attend to the injured.
Two individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, while nine others were hospitalized with minor injuries.
The southbound lanes of Interstate 5 were closed overnight as crews worked to clear the wreckage and investigate the cause of the accident, according to the California Department of Transportation.