A dangerous winter storm in Oregon led to a massive pileup on Interstate 84 near Multnomah Falls on Thursday, involving around 100 vehicles, including cars, trucks, and semis.
Blinding snow and icy roads made driving nearly impossible, causing the chain-reaction crash. In the chaos, an SUV caught fire, but thankfully, everyone inside managed to escape safely, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, going vehicle to vehicle to check on drivers and passengers, some of whom were trapped in their cars. Officials urged people to stay inside their vehicles unless absolutely necessary for their own safety.
The westbound lanes near the crash site were shut down, and the Oregon Department of Transportation warned that it could take a long time to clear the wreckage, especially with the ongoing storm. In eastern Oregon, I-84 was also closed between Ontario and Baker City because heavy snow and strong winds had reduced visibility to less than 500 feet.
Meanwhile, in Multnomah County’s Wood Village area, another stretch of road was closed after more than 20 vehicles crashed due to icy conditions.
The greater Portland area was under winter weather and cold weather advisories, with forecasters predicting up to five inches of snow and wind gusts reaching 60 mph. With conditions this extreme, officials are urging people to stay off the roads if possible.
