Massive pileup on South Carolina highway as 69 vehicles collide in dense fog

A chain-reaction crash involving 69 vehicles was reported in South Carolina, United States, prompting the complete closure of the highway and leaving several people injured.

According to local media outlet Carolina Fox, one of the injured people was airlifted to a hospital, while at least two others are in serious condition.

The crash occurred on a bridge connecting Clarendon and Orangeburg counties across Lake Marion. At the time, dense fog had blanketed the area, severely limiting drivers’ visibility and causing a series of successive collisions.

The Sandy City Fire Department confirmed that 15 trucks and 54 cars were involved in the incident.

Despite the scale of the crash, there were fortunately no fatalities. However, many people were injured and taken to hospitals. Local authorities said firefighters worked to free four people trapped in vehicles.

Noah Mandel, who was traveling with his family from Virginia to Florida, suddenly found himself caught in the pileup.

In an interview with a local media outlet, he described the situation as “crazy” and said it was one of those events you never think could happen to you. He said that behind his vehicle, a car began emitting smoke and then burst into flames, while people ahead were trapped inside their cars.

Mandel added that the lake beneath the bridge made the scene even more dangerous, but stressed that “we were especially lucky that none of the vehicles ended up in the water.”

According to local media, emergency crews worked at the scene for several hours to restore traffic flow and clear the congestion.