Huge Pileup As Snow Squalls Cause '60-Vehicle' Crash

Dozens of vehicles have been involved in a huge pile up on a highway in Pennsylvania.

Cars and lorries smashed into one another close to the Minersville exit in Foster Township on the I-81 in Schuylkill County at around 10.45am local time this morning (28 March).

According to local police, there could be between 50 and 60 vehicles involved in the pile up. Photos shared on social media show a large number of emergency services at the scene.

Harrowing footage has also been circulating showing the moment a series of lorries lost control and crashed into the back of one another.

Local police said that a large fire had broken out as a number of vehicles continued to burn. It's unclear how many fatalities there have been but the coroner has been called to the scene.

A tweet from Pennsylvania State Police trooper Beohm said: "Multiple vehicle pileup crash on I-81 N in the area of MM 116 due to a snow squall.

"Approx. 50-60 vehicles involved w/ multiple injuries. A large fire involving several vehicles continues to burn. PSP cannot confirm fatalities at this time."

Red Cross Disaster Action Team members is now working with local officials to organise a reception centre for motorists and their families to get information, as well as food, and drink.

The crash comes after a number of weather warnings were issued due to 'numerous brief heavy snow squalls with very poor visibility'.

The National Weather Service said: "The squalls will quickly reduce the visibility to under one-half of a mile and coat the roads with snow."

Mike Colbert, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in State College, said warnings for snow squalls were issued because of dangers to road traffic in the past.

He said: "They are very heavy snow showers where if you are driving into them, you can go from partly cloudy or sunny skies into an instant blizzard in a matter of seconds.

"That’s why they are so dangerous."