11 injured in 53-car pileup on icy road in Wonju

More than 50 cars crashed into each other on an icy road in Wonju, Gangwon Province, injuring 11 people as record heavy snow hit the country on Wednesday.

The crash occurred at 5:49 p.m. on National Route 409, between Manjong and Simpyeong intersections in Wonju, according to the Gangwon Fire Headquarters. The accident began when a Matiz compact car skidded to a stop on a downhill stretch of a highway. The vehicles that followed were unable to stop because the road was icy and collided in a chain reaction.

Eleven people, including one in 50s, were injured due to the accident and are treated at local hospitals.

Authorities believe black ice was the primary cause of the accident after reviewing closed-circuit television footage and witness reports.

The police are continuing to assess the extent of the damage and the exact cause of the crash.