(Fort Worth, Tx) – Reports say as many as 100 vehicles are involved in a massive pile up on I-35W at 28th Street just north of downtown Fort Worth.
It happened around 6am, because of icy conditions on the roadway. FW Fire Department says multiple people trapped in vehicles and now calls this a “mass casualty incident”. At least 5 people are confirmed dead. Fort Worth Fire says “A lot of vehicles out there & we are going vehicle to vehicle to vehicle to check if people are still trapped in them.”
A Medstar spokesperson says the number of patients is growing by the minute, at this point 36 patients, some in critical condition. MedStar has brought in an ambulance bus for triage. MedStar also says one of their units responding to the crash was hit by another vehicle at the scene. Warming buses were brought in for the uninjured drivers and emergency personnel.
Fort Worth Police have set up a family reunification location for people to pick up & meet drivers/passengers involved in the pileup on I-35. The address for families to pick up their loved ones is….3700 E. Belknap (Riverside Center).
The back-up is believed to be a mile long in both directions between I-30 and Loop 820. No estimate on when the freeway will be able to re-open.
photo credit: Fort Worth Fire Dept