On a Japanese expressway hit by heavy snow, a chain collision involving 67 vehicles left two people dead and 26 injured.

On the 26th, with a heavy snow warning in effect, two trucks collide near an interchange on the downbound Kan-Etsu Expressway in Minakami, Gunma Prefecture, triggering a chain-reaction crash among following vehicles. /Courtesy of Kyodo via Yonhap

According to NHK and other local media on the 28th, on the night of the 26th, near an interchange on the outbound lanes of the Kan-Etsu Expressway in Minakami-machi, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, two trucks collided, and vehicles following behind crashed in succession.

Local police said that about 20 vehicles caught fire in the crash, killing two people and seriously injuring five, with a total of 26 people hurt. Police believe frozen road surfaces caused the pileup.

Scene of the chain-reaction crash in Japan, as flames shoot up from vehicles on the expressway. /Courtesy of X

After the crash, videos of the scene showing flames shooting up between vehicles have been shared on social media (SNS) such as X (formerly Twitter). Some videos also show an electronic road sign burning.

Cleanup was only largely completed that day, and traffic has been reopening by section. NHK said, "The lanes toward Tokyo have already reopened, and the opposite direction is scheduled to reopen at 1 p.m. Sunday."

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