On the foggy morning of January 6, 2024, a large vehicular pile-up occurred on Interstate 5 near Bakersfield, California.
The incident, which involved 35 vehicles, including 18 large trucks, led to the loss of two lives. Additionally, nine other people were injured in the accident.
The multi-vehicle accident started around 7:30 a.m., covering a half-mile section of the interstate.
Visibility was notably poor during the incident. According to public information officer Manny Garcia from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Buttonwillow, eyewitnesses reported visibility of about 100 feet at the time of the accident. However, Jim Calhoun, a spokesperson for the Kern County Fire Department, stated that visibility had decreased to approximately 10 feet when emergency responders reached the scene. The poor visibility likely contributed to the severity of the pile-up.
The impact from the pile-up ruptured compressed natural gas tanks on multiple trucks, complicating rescue efforts. The released gas posed a significant risk, leading to the evacuation of uninjured individuals who were assisting with the rescue.
Following the incident, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced the closure of the southbound lanes of the interstate for an extended period. This closure, necessary for debris removal and investigation of the accident, impacted the stretch between SR-223 and Older River Road, causing traffic to be rerouted.
Yesenia Cruz, a driver involved in the pile-up, reported being struck shortly after stopping in response to a GPS warning about the accident. This resulted in a domino effect, contributing to the larger pile-up.
Of the affected individuals, nine people were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to moderate, while two were declared deceased at the scene.
Investigations are ongoing as the CHP, alongside other agencies, seeks to identify the exact causes of the pile-up to prevent similar future occurrences.
