Two accidents involving 100 vehicles has shut down the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Philadelphia.
Vehicles are piled up in an accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Vehicles are piled up in an accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Vehicles are piled up in an accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Vehicles are piled up in an accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Vehicles are piled up in an accident Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Vehicles are piled up in an accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
A firefighter checks in on motorist in one of many vehicles involved in pile up accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Vehicles are piled up in an accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
WASHINGTON — At least two accidents, involving an estimated 100 vehicles, have closed the eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside of Philadelphia.
A 9-mile stretch of the eastbound PA Turnpike is closed between the Willow Grove interchange, Rt. 611 (mile maker 342), and the Bensalem interchange, Rt. 1 (mile marker 351).
PA Turnpike officials have declared a “Plan X” at 9:20 a.m., which means that this portion of the Turnpike will be closed for a lengthy period of time. On the westbound side of the PA Turnpike, the two left lanes are closed at the accident scene, as emergency crews tend to the eastbound accidents.
Pennsylvania State Police are reporting numerous tractor trailers are involved in the accident, along with many injured motorist. The crashes were due to icy conditions on the Turnpike after the area was hit with a major snow storm yesterday, which dumped over a foot of snow in the area.
Motorists are advised to avoid that section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and use I- 76, the Schuylkill Expressway, through Philadelphia, as an alternate.
