The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report on February’s deadly pileup on I-35 in Fort Worth.
Six people were killed in the crash on southbound I-35 near the Northside Drive exit, including two people who got out of their vehicles then were fatally struck. There were 36 people who were taken to area hospitals for injuries.
The massive collision happened around 6 a.m. during heavy traffic on iced-over roads, spreading out about a .2 miles. The pileup involved 133 vehicles, including passenger cars, trucks and 18-wheelers
The NTSB said the area had experienced 36 straight hours of below freezing temperatures. Two days before the crash, workers pre-treated the lanes with a brine solution.
About four hours before the accident, there was light freezing rain and freezing mist. A little after 3 a.m. in the morning, an icy wreck took place about five miles north, prompting electronic road signs to flash "ICY CONDITIONS EXIST / PLEASE USE CAUTION."
NTSB issued Wednesday the preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the Feb. 11, 2021, multivehicle crash on I-35W in Fort Worth, Texas; https://t.co/3tN3E9B3dp. Investigation remains focused on road surface treatment.
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) April 21, 2021
The NTSB will continue its investigation to make sure roadways were properly treated for icy conditions. North Tarrant Express Mobility Partners Segments 3, The Texas Department of Transportation, the Fort Worth Police Department, the Fort Worth Fire Department and the Metropolitan Area EMS Authority are assisting the investigation.
Got a tip? Email Reporter Bill Zeeble at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on Twitter @bzeeble.
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