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I94 crash: Huge pile-up involving more than 100 vehicles shuts Wisconsin interstate

Law enforcement says freezing rain made the I94 hazardous and have asked motorists in the area to limit travel

Bevan Hurley
Thursday 23 December 2021 12:16 EST
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A semi-truck caught on fire during a pile-up on the I94 in Wisconsin
A semi-truck caught on fire during a pile-up on the I94 in Wisconsin (Facebook.com/Mike Olsen)

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A huge pile-up involving more than 100 vehicles in icy conditions has closed Interstate 94 in Wisconsin.

At least five semi-trucks were involved in separate crashes with passenger vehicles in Jackson County between Osseo and Northfield on Thursday morning.

The Wisconsin State Patrol said freezing rain had caused hazardous driving conditions, and scores of vehicles were trapped after the highway was closed in both directions.

Miraculously, there were no reported injuries, according to the State Patrol.

A motorist filmed several semi-trucks on fire along the route and posted it to Facebook around 8am on Thursday.

Mike Olsen said there were about 20 semi-trucks crashed into each other on the northbound lane, including several who had been traveling south.

“Please stay home if you don’t need to be out driving,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

The Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin estimated there were 150 vehicles involved in the pile-up, with several vehicles trapped under semi-trucks, rollovers and other accidents.

In a statement, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said all primary and secondary roads in our county are ice-covered and slippery.

“We would like to remind everyone, if at all possible, for your safety please... limit travel as needed.”

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