A devastating multi-vehicle collision on Saturday, January 7th resulted in two deaths and nine injuries along a foggy stretch of Interstate 5 in California’s Kern County. The massive pileup, deemed “chaotic” by first responders, involved at least 35 vehicles including 17 cars and 15 large trucks approximately 20 miles north of the Grapevine section of the major Los Angeles-area highway.
The chain-reaction crash occurred around 7:30 AM Saturday morning in southbound lanes between the Millux and Old River exits under dangerous wintry conditions. Impaired visibility from fog likely triggered the initial accident, but the situation rapidly escalated as more vehicles came upon the scene and were unable to stop in time. The debris-strewn aftermath spanned across roadway medians and shoulders as first responders worked to evacuate survivors and provide emergency medical attention.
According to Kern County Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Calhoun, one of the involved big rig trucks was hauling compressed natural gas – posing an additional hazard that required clearing the area before aiding crash victims. A lot of the bystanders that weren’t injured were trying to help people and were in a plume of natural gas so we had to deal with that first and get everyone evacuated from that area,” Chief Calhoun told local broadcaster Bakersfield Now.
Dashboard camera footage from passing motorists reveals the heart-stopping scale of Saturday’s tragedy – dozens of crushed vehicles, some overturned, other smashed into trucks and median barriers after violent impacts at highway speeds. Miraculously, only two lives were lost amid such extensive wreckage. but the collision aftermath was immense.
In the wake of the horrific I-5 pileup, officials warn that the area remains extremely dangerous for travel due to high winds and snow. A winter weather advisory cautions drivers to avoid the Kern County mountain sections of the highway unless absolutely necessary. Caltrans also advises vehicles with campers or trailers to steer clear of the Grapevine area until conditions improve. Sections of the freeway may remain closed well into Sunday as authorities investigate crash causes and work to clear damaged vehicles and debris.
For now, this stretch of Interstate 5 at the northern edge of the notorious Grapevine section warrants utmost caution by motorists. Saturday’s tragedy demonstrates how rapidly visibility can drop to zero in the mountain passes here, with fog or snow turning roadways into scenes of utter calamity in seconds. Vehicle operators would be wise to slow down, increase following distance from other cars, and remain hyper-vigilant for stopped traffic ahead before more lives are lost.
With blowing snow and winds still buffeting these elevations along the crucial Los Angeles-San Francisco corridor, we can only hope the worst is behind us after this harrowing multi-car pileup. But in the winter months along California’s mountain highways, danger always lurks just out of sight. We would urge those traveling through such areas to adjust driving strategies accordingly and remain prepared for hazardous conditions to appear without warning. Distance and caution could save your life in the event of the next unforeseen highway disaster.
A devastating multi-vehicle collision on Saturday, January 7th resulted in two deaths and nine injuries along a foggy stretch of Interstate 5 in California’s Kern County. The massive pileup, deemed “chaotic” by first responders, involved at least 35 vehicles including 17 cars and 15 large trucks approximately 20 miles north of the Grapevine section of the major Los Angeles-area highway.
The chain-reaction crash occurred around 7:30 AM Saturday morning in southbound lanes between the Millux and Old River exits under dangerous wintry conditions. Impaired visibility from fog likely triggered the initial accident, but the situation rapidly escalated as more vehicles came upon the scene and were unable to stop in time. The debris-strewn aftermath spanned across roadway medians and shoulders as first responders worked to evacuate survivors and provide emergency medical attention.
According to Kern County Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Calhoun, one of the involved big rig trucks was hauling compressed natural gas – posing an additional hazard that required clearing the area before aiding crash victims. “A lot of the bystanders that weren’t injured were trying to help people and were in a plume of natural gas so we had to deal with that first and get everyone evacuated from that area,” Chief Calhoun told local broadcaster Bakersfield Now.
Dashboard camera footage from passing motorists reveals the heart-stopping scale of Saturday’s tragedy – dozens of crushed vehicles, some overturned, other smashed into trucks and median barriers after violent impacts at highway speeds. Miraculously, only two lives were lost amid such extensive wreckage. but the collision aftermath was immense.
In the wake of the horrific I-5 pileup, officials warn that the area remains extremely dangerous for travel due to high winds and snow. A winter weather advisory cautions drivers to avoid the Kern County mountain sections of the highway unless absolutely necessary. Caltrans also advises vehicles with campers or trailers to steer clear of the Grapevine area until conditions improve. Sections of the freeway may remain closed well into Sunday as authorities investigate crash causes and work to clear damaged vehicles and debris.
For now, this stretch of Interstate 5 at the northern edge of the notorious Grapevine section warrants utmost caution by motorists. Saturday’s tragedy demonstrates how rapidly visibility can drop to zero in the mountain passes here, with fog or snow turning roadways into scenes of utter calamity in seconds. Vehicle operators would be wise to slow down, increase following distance from other cars, and remain hyper-vigilant for stopped traffic ahead before more lives are lost.
With blowing snow and winds still buffeting these elevations along the crucial Los Angeles-San Francisco corridor, we can only hope the worst is behind us after this harrowing multi-car pileup. But in the winter months along California’s mountain highways, danger always lurks just out of sight. We would urge those traveling through such areas to adjust driving strategies accordingly and remain prepared for hazardous conditions to appear without warning. Distance and caution could save your life in the event of the next unforeseen highway disaster.
