Kyoto, Japan—A pileup involving four vehicles shut down the main expressway outside Kyoto on Tuesday morning. Two people died in the chaos that unfolded during the peak of the morning commute. The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. near the western interchange of the city.

Traffic stalled abruptly when a sedan braked hard to avoid a stationary object in the road. A heavy transport truck behind the line failed to stop in time. The resulting impact shoved the lead vehicles into one another with massive force.

Metal twisted as the vehicles collided in the fast lane. The middle car became wedged underneath the rear of the truck, crushing the roof and doors. Emergency dispatchers received dozens of calls within seconds of the collision.

Police, fire crews, and medical helicopters responded to the high-stakes scene. Rescuers used heavy hydraulic cutters to peel back the wreckage of the compressed sedan. They retrieved two occupants, but both were declared dead by paramedics shortly after.

Commuters remained trapped in their vehicles for nearly three hours while the lanes stayed blocked. Police eventually diverted incoming traffic through secondary surface roads. The gridlock caused delays stretching for miles across the regional network.

Authorities suspect that wet road conditions may have contributed to the braking failure. Investigators spent the morning measuring skid marks and examining the braking system of the transport truck. The driver of the truck is being detained for questioning regarding the incident.

Traffic safety officers emphasize the dangers of heavy traffic flows on these high-speed segments. They are reviewing surveillance camera footage to see if the sedan had signaled its intent to stop. The focus remains on establishing the precise chain of events.

Operations to clear the debris took most of the morning. Tow trucks finally moved the wreckage to a holding lot for further inspection. The highway reopened at midday, though congestion persisted well into the afternoon hours.