Icy conditions close Interstates 94 and 29
Interstate 94 is closed west of Fargo, N.D., after a crash reportedly involving dozens of vehicles. Cass County, N.D. Deputy Bruce Renshaw says an estimated 100 vehicles are involved. He says law enforcement officers are trying to sort out "a big mess."
Renshaw says blowing snow is reducing visibility, and roads are slippery from freezing rain that fell earlier Thursday. He says drivers were going too fast for conditions.
"These vehicles going 40-50 miles per hour -- by the time they saw the vehicle in front of them it was too late," he said. "Visibility is the main issue, and with the ice buildup under the blowing and drifting, coming to a stop was a little bit of a problem out there."
Renshaw says at this point there are no reports of serious injuries. Renshaw says there are also dozens of reports of vehicles in ditches on state and county roads.
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MnDOT has also closed Interstate 94 from Moorhead to Alexandria until further notice.
MnDOT advises no unnecessary travel in west central Minnesota due to blowing and heavy snow.
Officials have also closed Interstate 29 from Brookings, South Dakota to the North Dakota border.
Travel is not advised in open country across eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota.