Multiple cars have been involved in a pileup on an Oregon highway.
On Thursday, Feb. 13, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that there had been a multi-vehicle collision amid “whiteout conditions” in a snow storm.
“There are dozens of vehicles in the crash area with several crash locations on I-84 westbound near milepost 28. There are reports of people stuck inside their vehicles,” a statement on X read.
“Responders are making their way through the scene and checking on cars,” they added. “We advise everyone to stay in their vehicles for their safety unless there is a clear or immediate reason not to. @OregonDOT @ORStatePolice.”
Officers stated that the Westbound I-84, three miles west of Multnomah Falls, had closed due to the crash, advising drivers to avoid traveling if they could.
In photos shared by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, vehicles were captured stuck in the snow as first responders assisted.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office
Photos also captured an SUV that had caught on fire, but in a follow-up post on X, the sheriff’s office confirmed that all occupants were able to exit the vehicle.
Authorities initially believed that there were 100 vehicles involved in the pileup, writing, “An SUV caught fire in the pileup on I-84, that’s described by deputies as involving more than 100 cars, trucks and semi-trucks.”
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Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office
An assessment by responders then concluded that “the current estimate is that 20-30 vehicles were involved in the crash on I-84 west of Multnomah Falls.”
“Low visibility made it difficult to differentiate initially between vehicles that were involved and vehicles that were only stopped. @OregonDOT @ORStatePolice,” officials stated.
Oregon State Police also confirmed in a statement on Facebook that four people were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries.
“Oregon State Troopers responded to eight separate crashes, and four individuals were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries,” they wrote. “Local law enforcement also responded to an unknown number of crashes. The total number of vehicles involved is not known at this time.”
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They added that factors such as “near-whiteout conditions,” icy and slick roads, as well as limited visibility, contributed to the incident.
The official Oregon Dept. of Transportation later confirmed on X that the westbound I-84 had reopened “but it may take some time for traffic to clear.”
PEOPLE has contacted the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation for further comment.
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