Buenos Aires Province, Argentina—Traffic came to a standstill on the national route early Friday after a violent collision involving three vehicles. Police and medical units arrived to find the scene engulfed in smoke and debris. Four individuals were declared dead at the scene by arriving paramedics.

The incident occurred during the early morning commute when visibility was low. Initial reports from traffic investigators suggest a loss of control triggered the initial impact. A heavy-duty truck and two passenger vehicles were involved in the high-speed wreck.

Emergency responders spent several hours cutting through twisted metal to retrieve the victims trapped inside the cars. The highway was closed in both directions to accommodate the recovery vehicles and forensic teams. Long queues of freight trucks and buses are now backing up for several kilometers.

We are still in the process of identifying the victims and notifying their next of kin, a police spokesperson said at the scene. The weather conditions were unfavorable, but that is only one factor we are examining. We are looking at everything from vehicle maintenance to driver logs.

Local residents living near the stretch of highway described hearing the impact from over a kilometer away. They noted that this section of the road is known for dangerous turns and inadequate lighting. Residents have petitioned for better signage for years.

This stretch of highway is notorious for these kinds of events, a nearby shopkeeper noted. Drivers often treat the road like a race track. Seeing this today is sadly not a surprise to anyone living here.

The investigation into the cause will likely take several weeks to conclude. Authorities are currently pulling footage from nearby traffic cameras and interviewing survivors who were taken to the local hospital. Two of the injured remain in serious condition.

Cleanup crews are working to clear the wreckage, but the road will remain inaccessible for the remainder of the day. Travelers are being diverted through secondary, unpaved routes in the area. For now, the focus remains on clearing the road and restoring traffic flow.