UPDATE: Seven people injured in 16 vehicle pileup on U.S. 2 in Delta Co.
Update: Friday, February 21 8:34 p.m.
Seven people were treated for injuries after a sixteen vehicle crash in Delta County Friday morning.
The Gladstone Post of the Michigan State Police said the accident happened around 10 a.m. on U.S. 2 in Delta County just west of County Road 183 in Gardens Corners. The area was experiencing white-out conditions and no visibility.
Police say a van driving eastbound on the highway rear-ended a tractor trailer, and as the van spun out in the lane of travel, it was hit by another eastbound vehicle. The van was hit by a second tractor trailer as its occupants were trying to exit the vehicle, and were thrown from into the air, resulting in several injuries. Other vehicles then collided with the vehicles in the lane of travel, while others hit snowbanks.
In the westbound lane of U.S. 2, a tractor trailer collided with one of three trucks that were stopped in the roadway.
At least seven people were treated for injuries as OSF St. Francis, Schoolcraft Memorial, and Marquette General Hospitals. Police say some of the injuries were severe, but none were life threatening.
U.S. 2 was closed for about six hours and reopened around 3 p.m.
Rampart EMS, Tri-Star EMS, Manistique EMS, Nahma Township Fire, Garden Fire, Inwood Township Fire, Thompson Fire, Gene’s Towing, Bay de Noc Towing, Renze Towing, and TKL Towing assisted at the scene.
The Michigan State Police would like to thank the volunteers and workers who “performed admirably under extremely harsh conditions” at the scene.
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The Delta County Sheriff’s Office reports that U.S. 2 in eastern Delta County has reopened after closing for several hours due to white out conditions and numerous traffic accidents.
Emergency crews responded to a report of a 10 car pileup in between Federal Forest Highway 13 and M-183.
The Escanaba Department of Public Safety says it happened around 10:30 a.m. between Tylene’s Family Restaurant and Garden Corners.
Despite the reopening, motorists are urged to slow down and use extreme caution in the surrounding area.
At this time, injuries are unknown.