Dozens injured near Austin, Texas, following 20-plus car pileup in heavy fog

A major collision involving 20 to 30 vehicles injured more than 50 people in the Austin, Texas, area over an hour after the new year began. Heavy fog was reported at the scene.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Service (ATCEMS) responded about 1:24 a.m. local time Tuesday to reports of multiple collisions in dense fog near southbound State Highway 130 and Harold Green Road, according to tweets from EMS.

Paramedics evaluated 56 people and took nine to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries ranging from mild to serious, the ATCEMS reported in a tweet.

(Austin Fire Department)

The highway was closed throughout the early morning as emergency responders worked to clear the scene.

A total of seven engines, two ladders, two rescue trucks and three chief officers were on the scene assisting with patients, as well as working on cleanup of multiple fluid and fuel spills. The EMS also had six ambulances and two command vehicles responding to the multiple vehicle collision.

ATCEMS called the incident a level three mass casualty incident and asked motorists to beware of the poor visibility.

"There is dense fog in some parts of Austin making it hard to see when you are driving! Be safe on the road, slow down, drive with caution.," the Austin Police tweeted.

Austin Police reminded people not to drive if they'd been drinking at New Year's Eve parties.