ST. TAMMANY PARISH — A police officer and a first responder were among the 11 people injured during multiple multi-vehicle crashes on the Causeway Bridge Tuesday morning.
Officials say that dense fog triggered the initial crash in the southbound lanes of the Causeway around 8:30 a.m. Emergency crews arrived within five minutes, but Causeway police stated that a MAPP vehicle was immediately rear-ended, causing a secondary collision. Police confirmed that as many as three multi-vehicle crashes occurred within 20 minutes.
The chain of crashes has kept the Causeway closed for most of the day, with efforts underway to reopen it by 3:30 p.m. in time for the evening commute.
Police noted that one of the major challenges to reopening the bridge involves two Amazon trucks and an 18-wheeler that collided in the northbound lanes. Both 18-wheelers were leaking diesel fuel, complicating cleanup efforts.
While southbound lanes remain operational, they are currently being used exclusively by emergency vehicles.
A dense fog advisory remains in effect until 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Tuesdays crashes come just over a year after ‘super fog’ caused a pileup on I-55 that killed eight people.
This is a developing story. As soon as more details are provided, the story will be updated. Check back for new information.
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