13 injured in multi-vehicle crash on I-81 in Watertown; 4 taken to hospital

Jonathon Wheeler, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Feb. 1—WATERTOWN — Thirteen people were injured, including four who were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries, in a multi-vehicle pileup on Interstate 81 Wednesday afternoon.

The collisions occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. between the outer Massey Street overpass and Watertown Center exit in the southbound lane, town of Watertown Fire Chief David E. Johnston said. None of the injuries are thought to be life-threatening, he said.

Chief Johnston said it was "a complete whiteout getting there" with heavy lake-effect snow was falling at the time.

The chief said he counted at least nine vehicles and three tractor-trailers involved. He said the final number of vehicles involved was "several more than that." The exact number of vehicles involved wasn't immediately available.

Chief Johnston said Jaws of Life hydraulic rescue tools were used to extricate two people from one of the vehicles.

A First Student bus transported six or seven people to the town fire station to get them out of the elements, and the fire chief said state police were to go to the station to complete paperwork on the incident.

Those people will remain at the fire station until they can get a ride home.

"Our goal was to get them out of the cold and inclement weather," he said.

The chief said that fire units coming southbound from Arsenal Street couldn't get to the scene because traffic was so backed up. This resulted in mutual aid coming from the southern end of the county that could get to scene.

"It was definitely snowing hard," he said of the weather.

The chief said he doesn't like when members are on the interstate when it's 85 degrees and sunny, let alone during Wednesday's whiteout conditions and cold temperatures.

"It's extremely dangerous because of the amount of traffic that's moving in the opposite lane in whiteout conditions and chain-reaction accidents happen that fast," he said. "Safety is paramount."

While extrications were underway, the fire departments closed both the north and southbound lanes of the highway to ensure safety.

The cause of the crash was not immediately available.

The town fire department responded along with the city of Watertown, town of Brownville, Adams and Adams Center fire departments, Guilfoyle Ambulance Service, town of Watertown and Sackets Harbor ambulances, South Jefferson Rescue Squad and state police.