5 people hit, killed by tractor-trailer after leaving vehicles on snowy northern Pennsylvania highway
Five people were struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 81 in snowy northeastern Pennsylvania after they had left their vehicles following another crash, state police said Wednesday.
A minivan had lost control and hit a median on the northbound interstate in Lackawanna County at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Four people got out of the van as well as a person who had been following them in a separate car, police said. All were hit by the passing tractor-trailer.
The coroner, several fire departments, and state police responded. The coroner said all the victims were from New York and appear to belong to the same family, CBS affiliate WYOU reported.
More information was not immediately available.
A winter weather advisory had been in effect until 4 p.m. Tuesday for the area, with several inches of snow tapering off in the afternoon. The National Weather Service warned of hazardous road conditions amid freezing temperatures, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation advised motorists to use caution.
The Pittsburgh area has also been dealing with snow and below-zero wind chills. In western Pennsylvania, more snow is expected on Friday, with most of it falling during the morning rush hour and possibly making for another tricky commute. While there's still time for the track of the system to change, so far snow totals look to be around 1-2 inches with 2-4 inches for the Ridges and Laurel Highlands.