SCOTT TOWNSHIP -- [Update 9:25 AM] Interstate 81 North has reopened following an early morning multi-vehicle crash, PennDOT confirms.
Several cars and tractor-trailers collided Tuesday morning, stranding dozens on the interstate in Lackawanna County.
Interstate 81 north was shut down from the Clarks Summit exit (194) to the East Benton exit (201) after the pileup.
According to emergency crews, eight tractor-trailers and three smaller passenger vehicles were involved in the crash.
Authorities said a tractor-trailer jackknifed, causing the pile up just before 4 a.m. on Tuesday. The crash happened near the East Benton exit, a few miles from Lackawanna State Park.
A driver described the sight to Newswatch 16.
"A car, and a couple of tractor trailer come full blast and just kept knocking into what happened."
When asked what his first thought was, he replied,"how do I get home from this? That was the first thing. They told me nobodies killed, which is really...from what I saw - you know I'm really shaken up, but from what I've saw, it's a miracle," said Tom Tosh from Endicott, New York.
Officials told Newswatch 16, three people were taken to area hospitals to be checked out, and weren't badly hurt.
Nearly a dozen tow trucks were called in to help pull apart the mess.
Drivers were detoured at the Clarks Summit exit (194) onto Route 11 which parallels Interstate 81.
Crews were able to reopen the section of Interstate 81 northbound around 9 a.m.
For more traffic information, visit wnep.com/traffic.
