A major chain reaction crash closed I-55 and left at least eight people dead near the Tangipahoa Parish line in late October. Vehicles piled onto one another, some of them caught fire, in dense fog. Police said one driver had to escape a partially submerged truck after it went over the side of the bridge and into the water below. 

The crash happened near the Manchac exit just before 9am. Fog mixed with smoke from marsh fires caused a "superfog," and visibility for drivers was extremely limited. 

More than 168 vehicles were involved in the wreck, with 63 people injured. Acadian Ambulance had more than 18 units from across the state working to help people involved. 

It took nearly a day to get all the vehicles towed off the roadway, but state police kept the bridge closed for several more. First, fuel and other chemicals needed to be cleared from the road surfaces. Second, the Department of Transportation and Development had to make multiple structural repairs. 

See additional video from the scene here

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