Up to 100 vehicles were involved in a pileup on a fog-covered bridge in London during Thursday morning rush hour, reports The Guardian.
The Kent police department confirmed that there were no fatalities after the massive accient on the Sheppey crossing bridge, but eight motorist were seriously inured and at least 60 suffered minor injuries.
“There are no fatalities but ambulance crews are dealing with a large number of walking wounded casualties. Firefighters have used hydraulic cutting equipment to release five people from their vehicles,” a statement from Kent fire and rescue service said.
The accident began around 7:15 a.m. and went on for about 10 minutes as cars continued to slam into one another. By afternoon, 35 patients were transported to six hospitals.
Concerns were raised over the bridge’s safety when it opened in 2006, but the Highways Agency insisted there was nothing wrong with the design.
Edmund King, president of the AA, says “stupid driving” was to blame for the crash.
“It’s really bad to travel too close to the car in front in good conditions and if you do it in foggy conditions it’s an absolute recipe for disaster,” he said. “In dense fog you cannot see the brake lights ahead. By law, you don’t have to have fog lights on, although it’s recommended.”
At the height of the accident, visibility is said to have been just 60 feet.