3 of 11 Injured Transported to Hospital
'Black Ice' on Road Cited as Cause
A 53-vehicle pileup occurred on a road in Wonju, Gangwon Province, resulting in 11 injuries.
According to Yonhap News on the 27th, at around 5:50 PM that day, a 53-vehicle collision happened on the road from Manjong Intersection in Manjong-ri, Hojeo-myeon, Wonju City toward the Corporate City area. Eleven people were injured in the accident, and among them, three were transported to the hospital but were found to have minor injuries with no life-threatening conditions.
On the afternoon of the 27th, a 53-vehicle pile-up occurred on a road in Wonju, Gangwon Province. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
The accident caused severe congestion as vehicles heading toward the Corporate City area during rush hour all piled up at once. The police controlled traffic in both directions and redirected vehicles while managing the accident scene, lifting the restrictions around 8:50 PM, about three hours after the accident occurred.
Earlier, Wonju City sent an emergency text message to inform the public about the entry restrictions due to the two-way traffic control. However, citizens engaged in a hectic rush to return home, trying to avoid the accident site.
Police and fire authorities reviewed CCTV footage and reports at the scene and determined that black ice on the road was the cause, causing vehicles to slip on the icy surface and resulting in the chain collision.
Black ice is a road icing phenomenon where the road surface freezes into a thin layer of ice after snow or rain followed by a sudden drop in temperature. It is considered a major risk factor for accidents during winter, requiring drivers to exercise special caution.
The police plan to collect black boxes from the accident vehicles to accurately investigate the cause of the accident and the extent of the damage.
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