Tomei Expressway Pileup: Four Hospitalized in Critical Condition Following Shizuoka Collision

Shizuoka, Japan—Four individuals sustained life-threatening injuries and remain hospitalized in critical condition following a massive multi-vehicle pileup on a major national expressway. The chain-reaction collision snarled traffic across multiple lanes during heavy transit hours.

The crash occurred along a busy stretch of the Tomei Expressway within Shizuoka Prefecture. Thick fog and sudden braking maneuvers by lead commercial trucks triggered the catastrophic impact.

Five passenger automobiles and two heavy freight trucks smashed into one another in rapid succession. Twisted metal and shattered glass fragments scattered across all eastbound traffic lanes.

Emergency fire crews from multiple municipal stations arrived swiftly with heavy rescue equipment. Firefighters used hydraulic spreaders to free trapped drivers from crushed passenger car cabins.

Paramedics established a triage zone on the tarmac to treat dozens of minor injuries alongside the four critical patients. Medical helicopters landed directly on the closed asphalt to airlift the most severely wounded victims.

Prefectural highway police closed a multi-kilometer section of the expressway to facilitate clearing operations. Traffic engineers began downloading digital tachograph data from the involved commercial transport trucks.

Investigators suspect excessive speed and insufficient following distances contributed to the severe multi-car collision.

The expressway remains restricted to single-lane transit while heavy tow trucks remove the ruined vehicles.