I-81 Closed After 40 Cars Crash, At Least 3 Dead

LATEST UPDATES: 3 Dead, 24 Injured As Search For Victims In I-81 Crash Continues

PENNSYLVANIA — At least three people are dead after an accident on I-81 in Schuylkill County involving dozens of vehicles, according to PennDOT and local authorities. The road was shut down in both directions and led to major traffic backups in the area.

The incident occurred as snow squalls pounded the area at around 11 a.m. The unseasonably frigid weather contributed to treacherous conditions, and emergency vehicles have reported serious difficulties in driving up to the scene of the accident.

NBC10 reports that at least 40 vehicles were involved in the incident.

It's not yet clear what caused the crash, but it occurred in the northbound lanes between exits 116 and 119.

Video footage from the scene showed a line of tractor trailers piled up, with huge black plumes of smoke billowing from the crash. Video from the Schuylkill County Emergency Responders showed lines of state troopers and fire trucks from surrounding municipalities on the scene, with debris and pieces of vehicles scattered across the roadway and median.

Shuttle buses were brought to the area to take those involved away from the crash to warmth.

PennDOT described the crash as involving "multiple" vehicles. Authorities have estimated that dozens of vehicles are involved, though the exact extent of the incident remains unclear.

It's also unclear how many people were injured. The New York Post was among the outlets reporting three individuals had died as of early Monday afternoon.

The accident prompted a response from U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz.

"I’m closely monitoring the situation along I-81 in Schuylkill County," he shared on Twitter. "Thank you to all the first responders on the scene."

This is a breaking story. Refresh the page for details as they become available.