Severe smog in Louisiana provoked major crash on I-55
On the morning of October 23 in Manchac, Louisiana, thick smoke from marsh fires caused 25 crashes in both directions.
About 158 vehicles were involved in the accidents, including several trucks. 25 people were injured, seven people died.
As of Monday evening, state troopers were “notifying families, investigating the exact cause of the accidents” and working to facilitate inspection of the bridge.
Traffic on I-55 is backed up for several miles northbound and southbound.
Baton Rouge-bound I-10 was closed at the I-310 interchange until approximately 3 p.m. The 24-mile road above Lake Pontchartrain was closed intermittently throughout the morning.
Some parts of the southern swamps of Louisiana have not stopped burning since the summer, spreading suffocating smoke over residential areas and roads. Firefighters say that the unique nature of a swamp fire makes fighting it difficult.
Smoke from fires mixed with fog, creating “zero visibility”. Drivers are urged to refrain from traveling to this area in the coming days.
