Horrific photos and video have emerged of a massive 56-vehicle pileup near Changzhou in Jiangsu province earlier today. According to Sohu, three people have been confirmed dead from the collisions.
The accident took place at around 1pm along the Shanghai-Nanjing Highway, which is part of the larger G42 between Shanghai and Chengdu. The accident happened around 150 km away from Shanghai.
Poor visibility may have led to the accident, as the highway was shrouded in fog when the crashes happened. Prior to the accident, highway traffic police had lowered the speed limit from 120kmph to 80kmph.
In total, 56 vehicles were involved in the pileup, which included passenger cars, three buses and two large trucks. In photos circulating online, cars are seen crushed underneath other cars. At least three firetrucks and 44 fireman were deployed to the scene to rescue trapped drivers, who were difficult to reach due to all the automobiles jamming the road.
Reports from different news sources vary, but initial figures from Sohu suggest that 21 people were trapped in the pileup and that at least ten people were taken to the hospital. It took at least six or seven hours to clear the road.
Watch video from the scene of the accident below (VPN on):
China's Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, which is taking place this weekend from April 2-4, is a peak time for highway traffic as people travel to the graves of their ancestors to pay their respects. Highway tolls are waived for long holidays in China, which has led to an increase in vehicles on the roads during major festivals.
UPDATE (April 3, 2016, 12:50 am CST): A dashcam video capturing the moment the cars collided has emerged. Watch below (VPN off):
[Images via NihaoSuzhou, Global Times]
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