Expressway Pileup In Henan Province, Five Dead After Multi Vehicle Collision, Eighteen Injured

Zhengzhou, China— Dense morning fog blanketed the G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway near Zhengzhou at 6:10 a.m. Tuesday, and a chain reaction crash involving 12 vehicles killed five people and injured 18 others across two kilometers of highway.

The pileup began when a tanker slowed for low visibility near kilometer marker 678. A box truck behind failed to stop and struck it, triggering a domino effect. Passenger cars, two coaches, and three trucks piled up as drivers could not see brake lights in time.

Five occupants died at the scene, including three from a minivan crushed between two trucks. Eighteen injured were taken to three hospitals in Zhengzhou and Xinzheng. Four were in critical condition with chest trauma. The rest had fractures and lacerations.

"I could not see 20 meters. I heard bangs ahead, then braked. My car was hit from behind and pushed forward," said a survivor, Wang Lei, 39, who escaped his sedan with a broken arm.

Henan traffic police closed northbound lanes for seven hours. Fire crews cut open five vehicles to free trapped occupants. A drone unit mapped debris to reconstruct impact order. Visibility at the time was under 50 meters, below the threshold for mandatory speed reduction.

"The fog warning was issued at 5 a.m. Variable signs showed 60 km/h, but many drove faster. Following distance collapsed," a provincial traffic commander said at a roadside briefing. He requested anonymity because the investigation is not yet formal.

The G4 is China’s busiest north-south artery. Fog pileups are common in autumn in Henan’s plain region. Authorities installed fog sensors last year but enforcement of variable limits remains inconsistent.

The tanker carrying chemical solvent did not leak, but hazmat teams stood by. The expressway operator said emergency lighting and fog lamps were operational.

Families gathered at hospitals as names were confirmed. The provincial government announced compensation procedures and a review of fog closure protocols.

Investigators will pull toll gantry footage and tachograph data to determine speeds before deciding on charges for reckless driving in low visibility.