Pennsylvania transportation officials were finally able to reopen northbound I-81 early Wednesday morning following a massive pileup that claimed several lives on Monday.
At 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 30, Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) were able to reopen northbound I-81 at mile marker 116 in Schuylkill County.
#breaking State police say there are now 6 confirmed deaths in the I-81 North pileup in Schuylkill County Monday. 39 commercial vehicles, 41 passenger vehicles in the crash. pic.twitter.com/X933U4fjur
— Dylan Fearon (@DylanFearon_) March 30, 2022
The interstate has been closed since a pileup that occurred during a snow squall at that location shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 28. Southbound I-81 was reopened several hours after the pileup occurred.
Also on Wednesday morning, PSP released new information on the number and types of vehicles involved in the pileup as well as the number of fatalities.
- A total of 80 vehicles were involved in the pileup
- 41 passenger vehicles were involved in the pileup
- 39 commercial vehicles were involved in the pileup
- 6 people were killed as a result of the pileup
- 24 people were injured in the pileup
Troopers have not yet released the identities of the people who were killed in the crash, pending notification of next of kin.
Day 2 on the scene of the I-81 crash in Schuylkill County. We’re getting a closer look at the damage. Vehicles are still getting towed away, then PennDOT is coming out to strip the asphalt due to gas and oil seeping into it. I’ll be live again out here at 4 & 5 on @69News pic.twitter.com/tL9ESb88FP
— Rob Manch (@RobManch) March 29, 2022