1969 — Nov 29, multiple vehicles collide in fog, some burn, NJ Turnpike ~Swedesboro NJ-6

— 6 AP. “Six Persons Killed, 19 Hurt in Collision of 21 Vehicles.” Victoria Advocate, TX, 11-30-1969, 28A.
— 6 NTSB. HAR. Multiple-Vehicle Collisions under Fog Conditions… 4-16-1971, p. 1.

Narrative Information

NTSB: “Synopsis

“At about 7:45 a.m., November 29, 1969, in a southbound lane of the New Jersey Turnpike, and at a location about one-half mile north of Exit 2, a 1969 Mercury sedan entered sudden dense fog at about 45 miles per hour. The driver slowed to 30, but was rapidly overrun by a tractor and a tank-semitrailer of 76,340 pounds combined vehicle weight, loaded with 9,257 gallons of propane. The tank-semitrailer overturned onto its right side, and blocked both southbound lanes and the shoulder.

“In rapid succession, some 10 vehicles entered the area just north of the blocked lanes, with multiple collisions between them and the trailer. Fire started near one of the passenger vehicles.
A loaded tractor-semitrailer of 57,690 pounds entered the area, struck several vehicles and then the overturned tank-semitrailer, causing a hairline crack in the shell of the propane trailer. Fire spread rapidly and destroyed nine vehicles.

“Among the 29 vehicles involved, there were 12 to 15 primary collisions, and numerous minor collisions. There were six fatalities, and three serious and 15 less serious injuries. Included were six tractor-semitrailer units, 21 automobiles, and a U-Haul semitrailer. Twelve vehicles were destroyed, and most of the balance suffered damage.

“The Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this multiple-vehicle accident was the penetration by vehicles into an area of dense fog where the visibility was 20 to 50 feet, together with the varying rates of speed which prevented appropriate evasive action. Contributing factors were the absence of objective indicators of the density of the fog, and inadequacy of the New Jersey Turnpike speed control system in that it failed to provide timely activation of speed reduction warning signs.” (National Transportation Safety Board. Highway Accident Report. Multiple-Vehicle Collisions under Fog Conditions, followed by Fires, New Jersey Turnpike, North of Gate 2, November 29, 1969 (NTSB HAR-71-3). Washington, DC: NTSB, 4-16-1971.)

Newspaper

Nov 30: “Woolwich, NJ (AP) – Six persons were killed and 19 injured Saturday when 15 cars and six trucks collided in a fiery chain reaction as early morning fog shrouded the southern portion of the New Jersey Turnpike. A large tractor-trailer carrying heavy machinery split in half and burned, trapped two passenger cars in its undercarriage.

“Police identified two of the dead as John Mullen, 21, of Florence, a truck driver and Thomas F. Kohlweins, 57, of Brooklyn, N.Y. ‘We can’t tell whether they’re men, women or children,’ a spokesman at Underwood Hospital in Woodbury said of the remaining four dead, who were badly burned.

“Most of the injured in the chain-reaction crash were taken to the hospital, treated and released. Only three persons were hospitalized, two in critical condition.

“State Police closed a large portion of the turnpike for more than eight hours, causing major traffic jams. The highway was filled with cars heading for the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia.

“Cars and trucks were strewn over the super highway’s south-bound roadway for more than a mile. The police spokesman said it may never be known how the chain reaction collision started. He said one vehicle apparently hit another in the rear and drivers hindered by the fog plowed into each other.

“In Washington, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said two observers from its highway safety division will watch the state investigation of the accident. ‘We might decide to take the case and require a public hearing,’ he said, noting that the board is empowered to hold hearings on major accidents.” (Associated Press. “Six Persons Killed, 19 Hurt in Collision of 21 Vehicles.” Victoria Advocate, TX, 11-30-1969, 28A.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Six Persons Killed, 19 Hurt in Collision of 21 Vehicles.” Victoria Advocate, TX, 11-30-1969, 28A. Accessed 3-23-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/victoria-advocate-nov-30-1969-p-20/

National Transportation Safety Board. Highway Accident Report. Multiple-Vehicle Collisions under Fog Conditions, followed by Fires, New Jersey Turnpike, North of Gate 2, November 29, 1969 (NTSB HAR-71-3). Washington, DC: NTSB, 4-16-1971. Accessed 6-2-2013 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/reports/1971/HAR7103.pdf