Quick ‘mass casualty’ call credited with saving lives in 18-car Mich. pileup

Whiteout conditions along Lake Superior led to a chain-reaction crash in Marquette County that injured eight people as vehicles continued striking the scene

February 11, 2026 06:00 AM

By Justine Lofton
mlive.com

CHOCOLAY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The quick decision to declare an 18-car pileup a “mass casualty event” likely saved lives on Friday in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, WJMN/WBUP reports.

The crash occurred Friday afternoon on M-28 in Marquette County’s Chocolay Township, the report said. Blowing snow along the Lake Superior shoreline created whiteout conditions that, along with speed, led to the pileup.

A Chocolay Township firefighter was checking on crash victims on M-28 when another driver lost control and struck the crashed vehicle, which then hit the firefighter and tow truck driver. They were thrown through the air; they were hospitalized due to their injuries. Vehicles continued to hit the crash site. Some were traveling up to 50 mph when they struck. Eventually, the tally would be 18 vehicles.

When Chocolay Township Fire Chief Lee Gould arrived at the scene, he quickly declared a “mass casualty event,” despite no confirmed deaths, the report said. This action sped up the process of getting more agencies and resources to the scene, potentially saving lives. Six more people were hospitalized related to the incident; there were no deaths.

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