Minakami: A major road accident occurred late Friday night in Japan as year-end holidays began, leaving one woman dead and 26 people injured after a multi-vehicle pile-up on a snow-covered expressway. Five of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.
The accident took place on the Kan-Etsu Expressway near Minakami city in Gunma Prefecture, around 160 km from Tokyo. Police said the crash began when two trucks collided. Vehicles approaching from behind were unable to brake on the icy road, leading to a chain reaction involving more than 50 vehicles.
The collision brought traffic on a stretch of the expressway to a complete standstill. Media reports said a fire broke out at the accident site and gradually spread to more than a dozen vehicles. Several vehicles were completely gutted. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after nearly seven hours of effort.
Police said the deceased woman was 77 years old and a resident of Tokyo. At the time of the accident, heavy snowfall warnings were in place in the region. The incident occurred as people across Japan were travelling for New Year and year-end holidays.
Parts of the expressway remain closed for investigation, debris removal and road cleaning.
