Photos from the scene show the long multi-lane bridge, stretching across fields and the Yellow River, strewn with vehicles crammed into each other. Cars, cargo trucks, lorries and other vehicles can be seen in the pileup.
In videos filmed from the ground, the air is still thick with fog. One clip shows a truck sliding forward, crashing into several smaller cars, as sirens ring in the distance.
VIDEO: Hundreds of cars in China highway pile-up
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 28, 2022
One person died during a pile-up involving hundreds of vehicles near the city of Zhengzhou in central China's Henan province, state media reported on Wednesday, adding that the accident was caused by low visibility from fog pic.twitter.com/3RxX54Rzzn
Numerous drivers and passengers were trapped in their vehicles following the crash. Emergency response teams and fire rescue workers were quickly dispatched to the scene, including personnel from the traffic and health departments.
According to Reuters, citing the local meteorology agency, visibility on the morning of the accident was limited to just 200 meters (656 feet). Several hours after the pileup occurred, police issued a warning for drivers to avoid crossing the bridge due to the persistent fog.
On their official Weibo account (China's equivalent of Twitter), traffic police noted: "In the winter the temperature is low and there is often heavy fog." They reminded drivers to slow down, use their lights, and to leave dangerous areas as quickly as possible.
The bridge where the pileup occurred connects the cities of Zhengzhou and Xinxiang. Police temporarily closed the bridge while rescue operations were being carried out, with traffic eventually resuming later in the afternoon.
