ROCK COUNTY (WKOW) -- A massive pileup involving 85 vehicles closed I-39/90 for nearly nine hours Friday. Highway officials say 21 people were injured as a result of the crash.
Jessie and Brandon Stafford were two people involved in the pileup.
"A truck fishtailed and we took the end of that," Brandon said. "We smacked into the back side of him and then we got pushed off the side of the road. We got hit three or so more times. And it was just a chain reaction.”
Dramatic videos spread on social media show cars on fire and dozens of cars with damage.
Meantime, gas stations were packed with people stopping to fuel up and call their loved ones.
Terri Krey and Amanda Hibbs were traveling from Northern Illinois to Minnesota but were stopped by the pileup.
"There was no movement for at least 15 minutes," Hibbs said. "We kinda just sat on an on ramp not knowing what was going on.”
According to our Rockford affiliate, more than two dozen patients were being treated at Beloit Memorial Hospital Friday. The hospital is also being used as a warming center for the dozens more involved in the crash that are now stranded in Rock County.
Transportation officials say they believe the original crash that caused the pileup was caused by weather, as heavy snow and white out conditions were moving through the area at the time.
More than 9 hours later, all lanes were finally opened.
"Hopefully everybody’s alright," Hibbs said. "Glad we weren’t in it."
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