A road accident occurred late Friday night on the Kan-Etsu Expressway in Minakami town, Gunma prefecture, Japan. Authorities confirm the cause of accident is heavy snowfall and dense fog.
Police also reported that low visibility because of dense fog caused two trucks to collide, partially blocking the expressway.
Vehicles approaching from behind were unable to brake in time on the snow-covered road, triggering a massive pileup involving over 50 vehicles. Several cars caught fire following the collision.
1 dead, 26 injured in massive collision
In the deadly collision, a 77-year-old woman was killed, and 26 others were injured. Police said the condition of five of the injured is critical. Flames spread rapidly, gutting more than a dozen vehicles, and firefighters took approximately seven hours to fully control the blaze.
The accident occurred amid heavy traffic due to end-of-year and New Year holiday travel. Despite warnings of heavy snowfall issued late Friday, many people were traveling on the expressway.
Parts of the Kan-Etsu Expressway remain closed as authorities continue investigations, remove debris, and carry out road-cleaning operations. Police have urged drivers to exercise caution due to icy and slippery conditions.
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