Major Pile-up on Kan-etsu Expressway in Japan Kills Two, Injures 26
A massive pile-up involving at least 50 vehicles occurred on the Kan-etsu Expressway at Minakami, Gunma Prefecture, about 160 km northwest of Tokyo, late on 26 December around 19:30 local time. The accident has resulted in two confirmed fatalities—a 77-year-old woman from Tokyo and a second body found in the driver's seat of a burnt truck. In addition, 26 people were injured, with five seriously hurt and 21 sustaining minor injuries.
The incident was reportedly triggered by a crash between two trucks on icy road surfaces, which caused a chain reaction and multiple fires. A heavy snow warning was in effect at the time of the crash. The fire was extinguished after approximately seven and a half hours.
A man in his 60s, who was involved in the crash, described hearing an explosion followed by fire and was among about 50 individuals evacuated to a nearby toll gate. Outbound traffic on the highway was stalled, and towing operations are currently underway.
The highway operator, Nexco, indicated that inspections are necessary to assess potential surface damage caused by the fire and advised travelers to avoid using the expressway during the investigation and cleanup process.
