I-95 shut down due to winter storm, motorists stuck for 15 hours on highway

The main highway running north and south along the East Coast has been brought to a standstill because of a winter storm.

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The Virginia Department of Transportation has shut down a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 95 after a crash that involved six tractor-trailers, The Associated Press reported.

The crash happened Monday afternoon, and although no one was hurt, it stopped traffic. Vehicles became stuck as snow piled up around them, making it impossible to move. Nearly a foot of snow fell in the area during that time.

State police had warned people to not travel on Monday unless necessary, especially into the evening, when the temperatures dropped the roads started freezing, the AP reported.

VDOT crews started moving vehicles off I-95 around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.

On top of the dangerous driving conditions, many traffic cameras were offline because of power outages in the same area, the AP reported.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam tweeted that the state is trying to get support to stranded drivers who have been stuck in their vehicles in the cold all night, many without food or water, and that the state is setting up warming shelters as needed.

WJLA reported that motorists were calling the newsroom to say not only that they did not have food or water, but there was also no access to bathrooms and cars were running out of gas.

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January snow A winter storm delivers heavy snow to the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

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