Fog and ice cause 63-car pileup on Virginia highway injuring 30+ people and hampering Christmas traffic (PHOTOS)

Hazardous driving conditions led to a chain reaction of crashes on Virginia’s Interstate 64 as over 60 vehicles piled up. Several injuries, ranging from minor to life-threatening, have been reported.

Police say the crash took place around 7:50 on Sunday morning on Queens Creek Bridge, near the historic town of Williamsburg. Fog and ice made driving conditions treacherous, and led to the accident.

Photos taken at the scene show vehicles smashed together, some piled on top of one another. Rescue workers can be seen alongside power tools used to cut through the twisted metal. Virginia State Police increased the number of vehicles involved from 35 to 63 by the middle of the day.

Police say two victims suffered life-threatening injuries. Both westbound lanes of I64 were closed as workers began clearing the debris. Detours were put in place.

Another series of crashes were reported shortly afterwards on the eastbound lanes of I64. Virginia State Police said on Facebook that the eastbound crashes were caused by drivers “rubbernecking at the westbound crashes.” 

The crash took place on one of the busiest travel days of the year. The American  Automobile Association predicts that a record 115 million Americans will travel between this weekend and January 1, with 105 million of that number traveling by car.

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