Toll rises to 8 dead, 63 hurt from Louisiana interstate pileup blamed on dense fog, marsh fire smoke

By KEVIN McGILL and SARA CLINE
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The toll from a fiery pileup in dense fog on a Louisiana interstate has risen to eight dead and 63 injured. Authorities announced the new totals Tuesday evening, a day after Monday’s “super fog” of marsh fire smoke and fog snared more than 160 vehicles in the pileup on Interstate 55. Besides the eight fatalities, authorities say at least 63 people had injuries ranging from minor to critical. The crashes occurred on a 1-mile stretch of elevated interstate that crosses swampland and open water west of New Orleans. Crews using heavy equipment cleared away the last of the mangled, fire-blackened vehicles Tuesday morning.