One Person Dead After Huge Pile-Up On Major American Highway

One person has been killed after a huge pile-up occurred near Kansas City during heavy snow.

Terrifying video footage has emerged that shows a number of cars crashing into the already stationary cars involved in the accident, either through reduced visibility or because of the wintry conditions.

The accident happened on Monday on Highway I-70, not far from Oak Grove, Missouri. Reports claim that as many as 47 vehicles - including several trucks - were involved. Fifteen are thought to have been in the pile-up, with the rest of the vehicles involved being either damaged or run off the road.

The shocking video, which has since gone viral, was captured by truck driver Jamon Weaver. In the clip he can be heard urging his girlfriend Tanika, who was with him in the cab of his truck, to stay inside the vehicle.

That advice seems to have been sound, given that while the camera was rolling several vehicles ploughed into the accident, some at speed.

Weaver can be heard to say: "There's nothing we can do."

The truck driver later told local TV channel KSNT: "I felt like I was in Final Destination."

He also described watching "so many cars piling up, piling up, piling up, boom boom."

The driver continued: "I have never been in an event or a circumstance like this in my life. I never thought I'd actually be in something like this."

Weaver also said that at the time of the accident he thought there was a chance he could have been killed, and said that he was glad to have been in his truck rather than a smaller vehicle.

The weather conditions contributed significantly to the crash, with white-out conditions (in which it is impossible to see as a result of snow) reported in the area around the time of the incident.

Missouri State Highway Patrol, who also tweeted out some sobering pictures of the pile-up, said that drivers were making the decision to continue driving at speeds that were too high for the conditions.

MSHP Captain John Hotz told Associated Press: "I just think the snow hit really quickly, a lot of snow all at once."

In the aftermath, the highway - which runs for 3,462km across the middle of the United States - was closed in the area until 8pm on Monday night. It has now re-opened.

Featured Image Credit: Missouri State Highway Patrol

Topics: America, US News, Cars

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a freelance journalist and LADbible contributor. He graduated from University of London with a BA in Philosophy before studying for a Masters in Journalism at the University of Salford. He has previously written for the M.E.N Group as well as working for several top professional sports clubs. Contact him on [email protected]

@TPWagwim