Four dead in 50-vehicle pileup on Ohio Turnpike

At least four people are dead and numerous others are injured after a 50-vehicle crash along the snowy Ohio Turnpike west of Cleveland on Friday afternoon.

The multi-vehicle crash happened in Sandusky County early Friday afternoon during extreme frigid temperatures and whiteout conditions just miles from the Lake Erie shore.

Troopers said that emergency officials responded to the turnpike in Sandusky and Erie counties. The road was closed in both directions during what troopers said were extreme visibility problems with heavy snow and strong blowing winds. 

Buses were brought in to take people stranded on the turnpike to a nearby highway maintenance building to keep warm. 

A spokesperson for the Highway Patrol said the first of a number of crashes happened around 11:45 a.m. Two people were injured with non-life-threatening injuries in a five-car crash, troopers said. The massive pileup happened about 45 minutes later. 



(Photos:  Ohio State Highway Patrol)