Authorities reported dozens of injuries after a major accident on Friday caused the closure of Interstate 39/90 in southern Wisconsin due to the inclement weather.
According to WIFR-TV, at least 27 people were hospitalized for injuries at Beloit Memorial Hospital after the collision. The broadcaster reported that it was unclear how severe their wounds were.
According to the State Patrol, whiteout conditions, snow, and ice were all issues. A winter weather advisory remained in effect on Friday afternoon for most of southern Wisconsin, and more snow was predicted for Saturday.
The State Patrol claimed in a Facebook post that the accident happened between Janesville and Beloit in Rock County at 12:30 p.m. Highway 1 was closed in both directions when the troopers arrived.
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Police redirected drivers onto alternate routes. Late Friday night, the State Patrol said on Twitter that the southbound lanes had reopened shortly after 8 p.m.
WIFR-TV posted a video of the scene just before 4 p.m., showing semitrailers backed up as emergency workers helped drivers.
According to the National Weather Service, as of 6 a.m. on Friday, the Beloit region has received 2.2 inches of snow over the previous 24 hours.
According to a separate statement released by the State Patrol, another multiple-vehicle incident on northbound Interstate 41 in Kenosha County, close to the Wisconsin-Illinois border, caused the highway to be closed at roughly 1:30 p.m. on Friday.
By 7:35 p.m., all lanes had reopened. The State Patrol claims snow, ice, and whiteout conditions contributed to that collision.