At least 5 confirmed fatalities in I-57 accident

A vehicle is seen sandwiched between two tractor-trailers Thursday morning on Interstate 57 at the 13 mile marker near Charleston. The accident involved multiple vehicles with multiple fatalities. The exact number of vehicles involved as well as the number of killed or injured were not known at press time.

Facebook/Bryan Celestine

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Heavy fog Thursday morning led to an accident resulting in multiple fatalities on Interstate 57 near Charleston.

Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a rescue call at 8:11 a.m. at the 13 mile marker on I-57 as one vehicle crashed into the rear of a semi-truck and was pinned underneath. It is believed the incident was caused by heavy fog and led to a chain reaction of accidents.

Images from the accident show one vehicle was sandwiched between two tractor-trailers, while video shows law enforcement trying to extinguish a large fire involving multiple tractor trailers.

Smoke can be seen from the scene of an accident involving multiple fatalities and vehicles on Interstate 57 near Charleston Thursday morning. The interstate was still closed late Thursday afternoon as law enforcement continued to work the accident.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Wheeler

There were reports of 50 to 70 vehicles involved in the accident, but the exact number was not known by mid-afternoon Thursday.

According to Mississippi County Coroner Terry Parker there were at least five fatalities at 2:15 p.m. and he was still on scene. There were many injuries as well with some were transported by ambulance to area hospitals as far away as Paducah, Kentucky. The exact number of injuries was not known by mid-afternoon as emergency crews continued to work the accident scene.

Fog complicated the rescue attempts as well as heavy fire coming from some of the trucks involved in the accident. Some emergency helicopters were unable to to fly to the scene due to the heavy fog and smoke.

Multiple agencies responded to the scene including the Regional Homeland Security Response Team, a hazmat and rescue team of first responders from Sikeston, Cape Girardeau Jackson and emergency personnel from Butler and Stoddard Counties as well as Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid Counties.

At mid afternoon, I-57 remained closed in both directions from I-55 in Sikeston to the Illinois state line.

The Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office was telling people to avoid coming to Charleston until the incident was cleared as traffic was backing up and causing unnecessary hazards. All roads leading into Charleston were shut down due to to traffic and emergency vehicle usage.

Drivers needing to cross the river were being rerouted to: I-155 in Caruthersville, Rte 74 in Cape Girardeau, I-255, I-64, I-70, I-270 in St. Louis and I-55 in Memphis, Tennessee.