Two dead in 50-vehicle pile up on Japan highway

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete December 27, 2025 at 01:03 PM

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short article 2 min

A 56-vehicle pile-up on the Kan-etsu Expressway in Minakami, Gunma prefecture, Japan, resulted in two fatalities and 26 injuries on December 26th. The incident, triggered by a collision between two trucks, caused a chain reaction and subsequent fires that engulfed at least ten vehicles. A 77-year-old woman and an unidentified truck driver died, while five others sustained serious injuries. Heavy snow and icy road conditions are believed to be the primary cause of the accident. The resulting fire took over seven hours to extinguish, leading to the closure of a section of the highway and significant traffic delays. Authorities are currently working to clear the damaged vehicles and assess the road surface.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

NHK 40% Nexco 50% Minakami 60% Gunma prefecture 60% Kan-etsu Expressway 70% Tokyo ×270% Japan 90%

Keywords

highway pile-up 100% motorway crash 90% traffic accident 70% icy surfaces 70% vehicle fire 60% heavy snow 60% road closure 50% japan 50% kan-etsu expressway 40%