70 Cars, Semis Crash On I-5 Near Tacoma

PIERCE COUNTY - Sixty-two cars, seven semi trucks and a bus were involved in a series of chain-reaction traffic accidents on Interstate 5 Friday around 4:30 p.m. about a half mile south of McChord Air Force Base in Pierce County.

Trooper Johnny Alexander with the Washington State Patrol says there were about a dozen separate accidents spread out over about three miles. At the height of the backup, it stretched at least seven miles.

There have been several injuries, but they're all minor.

The accidents shut down three of the four lanes of the southbound freeway for about an hour and a half. Crews cleared the accident around 6 o'clock.

Witnesses say there was a very heavy rain squall followed by bright sunlight that reflected off the wet roads and reduced visibility to near zero right before all the accidents happened.