A massive pileup involving more than 100 vehicles, including up to 40 semi-trucks, shut down Interstate 196 in western Michigan Monday morning after snow squalls created whiteout conditions.
The chain-reaction crash in Zeeland Township injured multiple drivers, though authorities reported no fatalities. School buses evacuated stranded motorists from the frozen highway.
The crash occurred amid rapidly deteriorating weather conditions on a heavily traveled interstate corridor. Michigan State Police estimated 30 to 40 semi-trucks were among the vehicles involved in the 10:19 a.m. pileup.
Video footage revealed the staggering scale of twisted metal and jackknifed trucks stretching across the snow-covered highway. Not every vehicle crashed-some simply slid off the freeway while trying to brake or avoid collisions, according to police.
Authorities closed I-196 in both directions between the Hudsonville exit and the Zeeland exit. The closure remained in effect until crews could clear the extensive wreckage.
Buses from Hudsonville High School and Max Transit transported stranded drivers to the high school for shelter. Officials urged those still in their vehicles to stay inside or board evacuation buses rather than walk on the dangerous highway.
The pileup occurred as a winter blast triggered Winter Weather Advisory warnings across much of Michigan. Snow squalls can reduce visibility to near zero within seconds, creating particularly hazardous driving conditions. AccuWeather reported that the wind chill temperature was hovering around 10 degrees below zero, with wind gusts up to 35 mph.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department coordinated the massive emergency response alongside state police. Officials described the crash as one of the largest multi-vehicle pileups the state has seen in recent years.
Michigan has experienced similar large-scale crashes during extreme winter weather. In January 2020, a separate multi-vehicle pileup involving more than 190 vehicles occurred during whiteout conditions, according to state officials.
