Scene of the crash

No less than three people have been killed in a really horrific crash on an expressway in China.

Daily Mail UK reports that the victims died after more than 40 vehicles rear-ended one another in thick fog on a highway in China, according to Chinese authorities.

The pileup triggered a huge fire on the Baotou–Maoming Expressway in the north-western province of Shaanxi this morning, provincial officials claimed.

Another six people were wounded in the serial collisions and rescue efforts were ongoing, state media said.

The accident occurred at around 7am on an overpass in the Tongchuan section of the motorway, the Shaanxi Provincial Emergency Management Office said in a statement.

It was said to consist of three separate crashes – all caused by heavy fog – and involved a total of 43 vehicles.

A report from state broadcaster CCTV said that the accident involved a tanker which was carrying 34 tonnes of Methanol, a flammable chemical element.

More than 10 vehicles caught fire and multiple people were said to be trapped.

Officials said the fire did not spread to the tank truck.

Footage filmed by an eyewitness shows the road engulfed in raging flames, which were burning through wrecked vehicles.

Authorities dispatched 16 fire engines and 105 firefighters to the scene, and the blaze was ‘brought under control’ about an hour and 40 minutes later, CCTV wrote.

Rescuers were still searching for survivors when the fire was put out.

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Source: Daily Mail UK