Tragedy in the fog in Bulgaria: at least 11 dead and 48 injured in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway

The crash occurred in both directions of the road linking Sofia with Burgas, near the city of Yambol; there were burned vehicles and people trapped. At least 11 people died and 48 were injured this Tuesday in a chain-reaction crash involving nearly fifty vehicles on a highway in southeastern Bulgaria, amid dense fog, authorities and local media reported. Prime Minister Rumen Radev gave the figure of 11 dead and 48 injured, according to the Bulgarian website Mediapool. Other outlets spoke of 12 dead, and the governor of the Yambol region, Georgi Chalakov, had earlier told the state agency BTA that the dead numbered "more than 10." The number of victims may change. Debris and damaged vehicles after the chain-reaction crash near Yambol, Bulgaria. About 50 cars and trucks collided amid the fog. (Nova TV via REUTERS)Aerial view of emergency crews at the scene of the multi-vehicle crash near Yambol, Bulgaria, this Tuesday. At least 11 people died. (Georgi Manev/Nova TV via REUTERS)The accident occurred at around 7:00 a.m. (local time; 2:00 a.m. in Argentina) on the Trakia highway, which links the capital, Sofia, with the Black Sea port city of Burgas, at the Zimnitsa junction, near Yambol and about 290 kilometers east of Sofia. Two crashes were recorded: the first, at kilometer 289, in the direction of Burgas, and another minutes later, at kilometer 294, heading toward Sofia, according to BTA. Footage from local media showed cars and trucks piled up on both sides of the road, many overturned, crushed or off the roadway. Police attributed the accident to reduced visibility due to the fog."Everything happened very fast, but visibility in the fog was no more than 50 meters, I think. A lot, a lot of people died here; a man died right behind me," an unidentified witness told Nova TV. Another survivor said he broke the window of a burning car to pull out a man and that, upon hearing that vehicles in the other lane were beginning to crash because of flying debris, he ran toward the overpass bridge. Debris and wrecked vehicles on the Trakia highway, near Yambol, Bulgaria. Visibility in the fog was about 50 meters, according to a witness. (Nova TV via REUTERS)Chief Inspector Todor Mishinev, of the Yambol Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, told Nova TV that some people were still trapped in their vehicles. Destroyed cars and trucks on the Trakia highway, near Yambol, Bulgaria. Authorities closed the road, which links Sofia with Burgas, in both directions. (Nova TV via REUTERS)Police, firefighters and emergency services worked at the scene; there were 14 fire crews, according to BTA. Authorities closed the highway in both directions and diverted traffic through Karnobat and Sliven. The BG-Alert alert system was activated. Among the vehicles is a tanker truck carrying gas, and firefighters were working to keep it from catching fire. Wrecked vehicles after the multi-vehicle crash near Yambol, Bulgaria. Four seriously injured people were admitted to a hospital in Yambol and eight were transferred to Sliven. (Nova TV via REUTERS)Four seriously injured people were admitted to the St. Panteleimon hospital in Yambol and eight were transferred to the one in Sliven, seven with injuries to their limbs and chest and one in very serious condition from a blow to the head, according to BTA. In total, about 27 injured people were taken to hospitals in the region, according to Reuters. Aerial view of rescue crews at the multi-vehicle crash near Yambol, Bulgaria. Among the vehicles was a gas tanker, according to EFE. (Georgi Manev/Nova TV via REUTERS)Prime Minister Radev, who learned of the accident while traveling to Varna, sent Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev to Burgas to use a plane to transfer the injured to Sofia. Two Spartan military planes were waiting to evacuate the injured. Radev said he would cancel his work schedule after meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.