Several people were taken to the hospital after hundreds of cars collided on a bridge in a shocking mass pile-up. Rescue efforts on the Zhengxin Huanghe Bridge in Henan, China, continued throughout the morning in the fog on Wednesday, as vehicles were seen on other drivers’ roofs following the mass collision. According to reports, the crash may have involved more than 200 vehicles, including cars and larger lorries.
The fog on the bridge and icy road surfaces are thought to have played a role in the accident. Images showed a number of crumpled and smashed cars, as well as others piled on top of one another. A 4×4 vehicle appeared to be almost entirely suspended on another car below it in one image.
A large-scale operation to separate cars and rescue drivers was underway, with 13 fire engines and more than 70 firefighters deployed. Emergency services confirmed to Chinese media that the crash did not involve any hazardous materials.
The Zhengxin Huanghe Bridge spans the Yellow River, connecting Zhengzhou to the north, including the nearby industrial city of Xinxiang. A similar pile-up in Henan in 2018 caused by thick fog killed nine people and injured eighteen more. According to authorities, the accident involved 28 trucks colliding on the Daqing-Guangzhou Expressway in Pingyu County.