Update: According to State Police, at least seven people died in a major chain reaction crash that involved 158 vehicles on Interstate 55 in St. John the Baptist Parish yesterday. The interstate remains closed. Superfog conditions, a combination of fog and smoke from nearby wildfires produced low visibility when vehicles started slamming into each other.
For a listing of road closures and rerouting instructions visit LA511-dot.org or follow LSP on social media.
State Police is the lead agency investigating the pile-up and Stegall says they have not confirmed reports of at least two fatalities from the wreckage. Stegall expects lengthy closures as a result.
“This could be an ongoing factor and it’s important right now to avoid that area, although you really can’t even get to it at this point. But not only for the safety of you but also the safety of the community, the other people that are involved in these crashes, and our first responders,” said Stegall.
As smoke from the fires and the fog continues Stegall urges motorists to be extremely mindful while traveling in the area. She says to reduce your speed and turn on your headlights.
“Then of course minimize your distractions, and put that cell phone down. Let’s focus on driving, pay attention to the road, as that visibility is low,” said Stegall.
And if you don’t feel safe driving in low-visibility conditions, Stegall said to pull over to a business and wait until things improve.
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