Coastal Texas accident attorneys note one of the biggest vehicle pileups in the state’s history yesterday along the gulf coast. Authorities have attributed a massive 79-vehicle pileup that occurred Thursday morning near Port Arthur, Texas in part to dense fog that combined with smoke from winter marsh fires to create zero visibility along part of Texas Highway 73.

Reportedly, a welder sparked a fire last Sunday that burned approximately 14,000 acres in the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge and wasn’t brought under control until Wednesday. The extensive blaze closed part of the Refuge. The Refuge has been reopened, but fire and smoke dangers still remain from the large burn.

Authorities had not yet pinpointed the vehicles that catalyzed the massive chain reaction pileup. Ultimately 79 vehicles were damaged. The wreckage included an 18-wheeler hauling hazardous materials. 54 people were injured in the 79-vehicle pileup, 4 of them critically.

Rod Carroll, a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said that surprisingly there were no fatalities from the huge pileup in the zero visibility conditions, He indicated that people remaining in their vehicles after the wreck and not venturing out into the road might have saved lives.

He suggested that motorists should try to always be aware of what’s going on around them as they drive. Drivers should lower their speeds in limited visibility conditions, and pull off and away from the roads in dense fog or smoke conditions when they can’t see to drive. He also reminded drivers to use their fog lights when driving in low visibility conditions.

The coastal Texas accident attorneys at Denena & Points are relieved to hear that no one suffered fatal injuries in this massive 79-vehicle pileup. We empathize with those who suffered injuries and trauma in the accident, and wish safe recoveries to all who might be suffering from this chain reaction wreck.

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