A catastrophic chain-reaction collision involving over 50 vehicles unfolded on a snow-covered expressway in Japan during the peak holiday travel period, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. The incident occurred Friday evening on the Kan-etsu Expressway near Minakami, approximately 100 miles northwest of Tokyo, as heavy snow warnings were active across the region.
According to Gunma prefectural highway police, the sequence of events began with an initial collision between two commercial trucks that blocked traffic lanes. Subsequent vehicles traveling on the ice-glazed roadway proved unable to stop safely, leading to a massive pileup that extended across the highway. The situation escalated dramatically when a fire broke out at the rear of the collision zone, engulfing more than a dozen automobiles in flames. While the conflagration was eventually extinguished after approximately seven hours, numerous vehicles were completely destroyed by the intense fire.
The human toll included a 77-year-old Tokyo woman who succumbed to her injuries. Among the 26 injured persons transported for medical treatment, five were reported to be in serious condition. Authorities confirmed no additional injuries resulted from the fire itself.
The timing of the accident coincided with the beginning of Japan’s year-end and New Year holiday migration, when millions traditionally travel to visit family. Sections of the critical transportation artery remained closed indefinitely as emergency crews conducted rescue operations, police investigations, and the complex removal of wreckage from the accident scene.