7 dead in 158-vehicle pile-up on Louisiana interstate

Oct. 23 (UPI) -- A massive 158-vehicle pile-up in dense fog on a Louisiana interstate killed at least seven people Monday and injured more than 25 others, according to police.

The mile-long crash on Interstate 55 in Louisiana's St. John the Baptist Parish, near New Orleans, occurred during a morning "super fog" that lowered visibility to near zero, according to Louisiana State Police.

The crash, which caused a number of vehicles to catch fire including a tanker truck carrying a hazardous liquid, shut down I-55, I-10 and I-310. I-55 remained closed in both directions throughout the night as crews continued to clear wrecked vehicles and transportation workers inspected the interstate for damage.

"Once the tanker is removed, first responders will be able to better assess the vehicles in that immediate area. It is possible additional fatalities could be located," state police said in a statement.

The National Weather Service had issued a dense fog advisory for much of southeastern Louisiana on Monday morning from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, which could "reduce visibilities to 1/4 mile" and cause "dangerous driving conditions." The super fog was caused by a combination of heavy fog and smoke from marsh fires burning in the area.

"The combination of wildfire smoke and dense fog is dangerous, and I want to encourage all Louisianans in affected areas to take extreme caution when traveling," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement Monday afternoon, as he thanked first responders for their efforts.

"The best way you can help them, besides exercising caution on the road, is to donate blood at your local blood donation center. It will help replenish supplies that are being drained today to care for the wounded," the governor added.

Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the crash, according to police who released drone footage Monday evening of the crash scene.