Tragic 50-Vehicle Pile-Up in Japan Claims Two Lives

Sat Dec 27 2025 20:25:47 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A catastrophic accident on a highway in central Japan has resulted in two fatalities and numerous injuries, triggered by icy conditions and a series of vehicle collisions.

A massive pile-up involving 50 vehicles on the Kan-etsu Expressway in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, led to the deaths of two individuals and left 26 others injured. The incident occurred due to icy road conditions that caused trucks to skid, resulting in a chain reaction and multiple fires. The highway was closed following the accident as recovery efforts continued amidst heavy snowfall warnings.

A pile-up involving at least 50 vehicles on a highway in central Japan has left two people dead and 26 injured, according to police.

The incident was caused by a crash between two trucks, sparking a chain reaction that set at least 10 vehicles on fire, local police said.

A 77-year-old woman from Tokyo was killed, and another body was discovered in the driver's seat of a burnt-out truck. Five people were seriously injured and 21 suffered minor injuries, police reported.

There was a heavy snow warning in place at the time of the crash, with authorities believing that icy surfaces likely caused the trucks to skid on the roads.

The crash happened on the Kan-etsu Expressway in Minakami, Gunma prefecture, about 160km (100 miles) northwest of Tokyo, at around 19:30 local time (10:30 GMT) on December 26.

It took about seven and a half hours to put out the fire, police stated. Following the incident, a section of the highway was closed, causing a long line of vehicles, many charred beyond recognition, to be stuck in the outbound lane. Recovery operations are currently underway to tow them away.

A man in his sixties, whose vehicle was involved in the accident, reported hearing a loud explosion from the far end of the pile-up and witnessing flames spreading to other vehicles during the crash. He and about 50 others were evacuated to a nearby toll gate, where they spent the night.

Nexco, the road operating company, has indicated that checks are necessary to assess any damage incurred by the fire and is advising travelers to avoid using the highway.