17 killed in 56-car pileup in China

Poor visibility and slippery road condition due to snow and rainy weather are thought to have caused the accident on a Beijing-Kunming expressway on Monday morning, reports Xinhua. Thirty-seven people were also injured in the 56-vehicle pileup in Shanxi Province.

17 people died and 37 others were injured in a 56-vehicle pileup due to snow and rainy weather in north China's Shanxi pic.twitter.com/Gas0UAKRZL

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) November 22, 2016

A driver involved in the crash told CCTV that “heavy fog” forced him to drive slowly as he exited the tunnel. "I saw two vehicles horizontally blocking the road, so I stepped on the brake." Local authorities on Tuesday said the condition of the injured people were stable after treatment. An investigation into the accident is underway.

Latest on N. China pile-up: -17 killed; -37 injured; -56 cars damaged； -investigation into the causes underway pic.twitter.com/meSvjGjchh— CCTVNEWS (@cctvnews) November 22, 2016

Firefighters told CCTV that when they arrived at the scene they fought a blaze at the front of the pileup. A day after the collision the highway was still closed to traffic, according to the Shanxi Traffic Control Center, adds CNN.