First Snow Causes More Than A Dozen Mass Pike Accidents

The first decent snowfall of the year caused quite a few problems on the Massachusetts turnpike yesterday.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, at 7:45 p.m. last night, the speed limit on the Pike was reduced to 45 miles per hour due to the first storm of the season. Despite the reduced speed limit, WWLP reported 13 accidents and spin-outs throughout the evening in to the night.

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Paul Sullivan told the Springfield based news station, that by 7:30 p.m., the Westfield State Police Barracks had already dealt with 13 spin-outs.

A tractor-trailer truck jackknifed on the MassPike in Berkshire County just before 9 p.m.  Sgt. Sullivan said the big rig spun out on the westbound side of the Pike at mile-marker 8.6, just six miles past Exit 2 in Lee.

Earlier in the night, several cars crashed and spun out on the section of the Pike located in Palmer. It was a multi-crash crash, involving four or five vehicles.There was an ambulance on site, but at this time there are no specific details, however traffic was moving on that part of the pike.