Multiple-car pile-up caused by heavy fog

A massive pile-up yesterday morning involving more than 130 vehicles closed the A19 motorway at Zonnebeke, West Flanders, for the entire day and evening. One person was killed and 13 were critically injured.

The fire service installed emergency lighting as dusk fell to allow clearing-up work to continue. The motorway was this morning declared fully open in both directions.

The prosecutor’s office in Ypres said that the accident had been caused by “a dense, treacherous fog”. There were in fact three separate collisions: one in the direction of Ypres and two in the direction of Kortrijk. A total of 132 vehicles were involved, all of which had to be towed from the scene.

According to the provincial governor’s office, one person is confirmed dead, and five were this morning still in critical condition in hospital. An additional eight people are seriously hurt but not critical, and 54 suffered minor injuries.

Governor Carl Decaluwé thanked the 400 emergency workers involved at the scene. “The circumstances were extremely difficult because of the three large blocks of cars,” he said. “Our people had to go on foot to the middle block with their equipment.” He also praised the co-operation between the mayors of Zonnebeke and Wervik. “Everyone should be very careful in fog,” he concluded.

“It was chaos, complete chaos,” one witness told VTM news. “Lorries driving into one another. Cars on top of each other.” Another reported: “It was a real hell.”

The Red Cross of Flanders appealed to the public to give blood, especially type O negative.  Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters issued a statement expressing sympathy with those involved and wishing “courage for the emergency services in these difficult circumstances”.