At least seven people were killed and dozens more were left with injuries after a dense mix of fog and smoke, called “superfog,” descended on parts of Louisiana and caused massive multi-car pileups.
The superfog was formed when normal fog mixed with smoke from a wetland fire that has been burning since July in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge inside the city limits of New Orleans.
The fire is said to be in an area that is tough for firefighters to access, limiting their ability to control the blaze.
The largest pileup occurred on Interstate 10 and involved more than 100 cars; authorities have shut down the interstate for “the foreseeable future.” Dozens of other accidents have occurred in the area, shutting down Interstates 10 and 310 temporarily.
Authorities say the death toll may increase as the pileup is cleared. At least 25 people have been transported to local hospitals with their injuries ranging from minor to critical.
The 23.8-mile-long Causeway Bridge was closed temporarily due to low visibility but has since reopened. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said that the superfog made it “nearly impossible” to see in the area, noting that visibility was near zero.
The fog in Louisiana is expected to continue for the next few days. Depending on the progress of the wildfires and wind direction, that could mean more superfog in the coming days.