PATERSON, NJ – A dramatic 13-vehicle pileup unfolded on a New Jersey highway Tuesday night, with black ice cited as the culprit, according to local authorities. The icy conditions led to several motorists sustaining injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. A jackknifed tractor-trailer leaked diesel fuel onto the highway and into the Passaic River.
Freedom News TV provided footage from the scene, revealing a tractor-trailer sprawled across both lanes of traffic. The camera also captured a Paterson firefighter attempting to navigate the treacherous icy highway. One particularly striking image showed a severely damaged vehicle on a flatbed tow truck, its airbags deployed in a stark testament to the force of the collision.
Motorist Sarvjeet Singh, who was present during the incident, shared his experience of driving through a flooded part of the road. As he and other vehicles ventured onto the frozen section of the highway, cars began to lose control, colliding with one another in a chaotic scene. Singh managed to steer his vehicle into a driveway, narrowly avoiding the ensuing pileup.
Further footage from the scene painted a grim picture of the aftermath, with vehicles bearing the scars of the pileup – dented fenders, shattered lamps, flat tires, and crushed bumpers. Some cars were askew on the road, while others faced against the flow of traffic.
Emergency response crews were seen addressing the diesel spill, using absorbent materials to soak up the leaked fuel from beneath the jackknifed tractor-trailer. Images later showed the dented fuel tank of the trailer, pinpointed as the leak’s origin. In the wake of the incident, the icy roadway was treated by salt trucks to prevent further accidents.