The incident occurred late Friday evening on the Kan-Etsu Expressway, located in the city of Minakami in Gunma Prefecture. According to preliminary police reports, a collision between two trucks was the cause of the massive traffic accident. After the crash, part of the road was blocked, and vehicles approaching from behind were unable to stop in time on the slippery, snow-covered road.
A total of 57 vehicles were involved in the collision. At the scene, a 77-year-old woman from Tokyo died. The second victim of the accident died en route to a medical facility. Five people sustained serious injuries and are in critical condition.
Additionally, several cars caught fire as a result of the accident, and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze after seven hours. Fortunately, there were no injuries from the fire.
