I-75 crash in Detroit due to snow squall involving dozens of cars near McNichols

FOX 2 - Snow squall conditions led to a large crash scene involving three semi-trucks, and about two dozen vehicles on I-75 in Detroit Monday afternoon.

The backstory:

The crash scene has been reported on the northbound side of the freeway after McNichols. According to state police, several small crashes may be the culprit rather than one large pile-up.

A spokesperson with MDOT told Lauren Edwards that the freeway is expected to reopen by 3 p.m.

Cooper, a driver who was caught in the middle of the chain of freeway crashes, said that the snow squall created a white-out condition. His car slammed underneath a semi-truck, he said - coming away injured somehow.

"It was a whiteout with no visibility and like I said, everyone was going 25 or 30 until they weren't. My car got totaled," he said.

The exact number of vehicles involved, is not known at this time. All lanes are blocked by traffic appears to be passing on the right side exit lane, according to the MDOT camera.

"Some of the semis may have struggled, some of the cars may have struggled, whatever it is this is probably going to (last) the majority of the day," said Diane Cross of MDOT in a phone interview with FOX 2. "At the moment we have northbound 75 closed at McNichols. Don't be surprised if we move that back to the Davison so that traffic can move freeway to freeway."

Cross said that special towing vehicles will be needed for the semi-trucks.

"We have EMS, Michigan State Police out there to determine the cause."

According to MDOT, the left shoulder, left lane, right center lane, right lane and right shoulder are all blocked.

The backup is stretching for miles at the moment. The estimate is 20 vehicles or possibly more.

Road conditions have been challenging all day due to an active winter weather day that began with fierce winds and continues with blinding snow squalls.

West M-10 and Woodward are possible alternate routes according to Cross.