LINN COUNTY, Ore. — Dozens of cars and semi trucks crashed on I-5 Wednesday morning in Linn County, leading to a pileup that has closed down the southbound lanes of the interstate and killed at least one person.
Oregon State Police estimates 45 cars and 15 to 20 semi trucks were involved in the crash near the Halsey-Brownsville exit, north of Eugene. Officials said six of the semis are leaking fluids onto the roadway and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and hazmat crews are responding.
One person was killed. Information hasn't been released yet on other injuries.
On social media, the Oregon Department of Transportation said multiple crashes had happened in the area during heavy fog. Photos from the scene showed a line of cars on the freeway surrounded by emergency vehicles and debris in dense fog, other pictures showed several cars piled up.
Massive I-5 pileup | Photos
School buses from Eugene helped relocate about 30-40 drivers involved in the crash took them to the Pioneer Villa Truck Plaza in Halsey, just off the interstate.
The Interstate is expected to be closed for most of the day. ODOT crews dropped a cable barrier on the interstate to allow cars caught in the gridlock to detour. ODOT will be updating TripCheck with the latest closure and detour information.
Transportation officials said later the interstate closure in the area had expanded because of two more multi-vehicle crashes Wednesday afternoon. One of those crashes involved a semi truck and multiple other vehicles and one person was killed.
ODOT will be updating TripCheck with the latest closure and detour information.