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The massive pileup unfolded Monday morning near Hudsonville, just southwest of Grand Rapids, forcing the Michigan State Police to shut down both directions of I-196 as crews worked for hours to clear wreckage. Officials said more than 30 semitrailer trucks were among the vehicles involved.
The crash occurred during intense lake-effect snowfall.(Photo: X/@foxweather)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 20, 2026 02:41 IST
More than 100 vehicles smashed into one another or slid off the road in western Michigan on Monday after snow fuelled by the Great Lakes turned Interstate 196 into what authorities described as near-whiteout conditions.
The massive pileup unfolded Monday morning near Hudsonville, just southwest of Grand Rapids, forcing the Michigan State Police to shut down both directions of I-196 as crews worked for hours to clear wreckage. Officials said more than 30 semitrailer trucks were among the vehicles involved.
"There were vehicles ramming into others despite traffic obviously halted in the snow," footage from the scene showed, capturing semi-trucks, delivery vehicles and passenger cars colliding amid blowing snow. State police said there were numerous injuries, though no deaths had been reported as of Monday afternoon, according to the Associated Press.
LAKE-EFFECT SNOW SLASHES VISIBILITY
According to the FOX Forecast Centre, the crash occurred during intense lake-effect snowfall, with visibility dropping to just a quarter-mile. Winds were gusting between 25 and 40 mph, creating dangerous driving conditions in a short span of time.
The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office said deputies initially estimated around 100 vehicles were involved after reports began coming in shortly after 10:30 a.m. local time. Drone footage showed clusters of wrecked vehicles, including at least six tractor-trailers tangled together in one section of the crash.
Authorities reported multiple crashes and jackknifed semis along the interstate, with numerous cars sliding into ditches. Stranded motorists were transported by bus to Hudsonville High School, where they were able to warm up and arrange rides.
Officials warned the interstate would remain closed for several hours as crews cleared damaged vehicles and treated icy road conditions.
The Michigan pileup came as a powerful winter storm system continued to impact large swaths of the US. The Weather Service issued warnings for extreme cold and winter storms stretching from northern Minnesota through Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
Snow from the same system fell as far south as the Florida Panhandle a day earlier and disrupted outdoor sporting events in Massachusetts and Chicago. Forecasters warned that freezing temperatures could reach parts of north-central Florida and southeast Georgia overnight into Tuesday.
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Jan 20, 2026
