Two dead in 'messy' 35-vehicle crash on California's I-5

Two people died Saturday in a devastating chain reaction crash on Interstate 5 in Kern County, California.

in the middle Fog conditionsAround 7:30 a.m. Saturday, several southbound vehicles collided between Milleux and Old River roads, about 20 miles north of Grapevine. As more cars hit the brakes facing the scene, the pileup worsened. Caltrans officials said 17 vehicles and 15 big rigs were involved in the incident.

According to Kern County Battalion Chief Jim Calhoun, the scene was “chaotic,” with at least one of the trucks carrying compressed natural gas, necessitating the evacuation of motorists when injuries occurred.

“There were a lot of bystanders that were uninjured trying to help people and were in the natural gas, so we had to deal with that first and get everyone out of the area,” Calhoun said. told Bakersfield Now.

Video from the scene showed dozens of damaged cars and trucks, many of which ended up in the grass median. Kern County fire officials said two people died and nine others were injured in the pileup.

Due to the scope of the investigation and the cleanup required, The The road was closed All through Saturday. Conditions on I-5 were still hazardous Sunday morning. A high wind advisory is in effect for Grapevine and surrounding areas, and Caltrans is asking campers and trailers to avoid travel there. A Winter Weather Advisory In effect until 10 a.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service warned of “blizzard snow” and “strong winds” in the mountains of Kern County that could pose a danger to drivers. “Use caution and slow down when traveling,” the weather service said.