Dozens of vehicles collided on the Mishazi section of the Beijing-Harbin Expressway heading from Changchun to Harbin on February 5th, with a horrifying scene unfolding on the site. According to eyewitnesses, the accident resulted in multiple fatalities.
A widely circulated video footage showed that visibility was extremely low at the time of the incident. Numerous vehicles collided on both sides of the expressway, with one private car severely deformed by being crushed by a large truck, and other vehicles overturned. The video captured sounds of screams of despair, with the person filming mentioning that several individuals were killed, indicating a significant loss of lives in the tragic event.
Reported by Nanguo Zao Bao, the accident occurred around 11 a.m. on the 5th due to “icy road conditions caused by snowfall,” triggering a chain reaction of collisions involving several dozen vehicles. The mishap led to the temporary closure of the entrance from Mishazi to Fuyu. Following the incident, the injured have been taken to hospitals for treatment. However, the report did not specify the exact number of casualties or confirm any fatalities.
Officials from the Jilin High-speed Public Security Changchun Branch only commented that the affected section had reopened to traffic in the afternoon of the same day, with the cause of the accident still under investigation.
The official statement has sparked dissatisfaction among netizens. Many local internet users voiced their discontent, commenting that “It’s not due to the snow, it’s clearly caused by the steam from the power plant.”
According to netizens, the incident occurred near the Mishazi Power Plant, where the visibility was compromised by water vapor emissions from the plant, leading to blurred vision for drivers and subsequently causing multiple accidents simultaneously on both sides of the expressway.
An eyewitness also confirmed the challenging conditions, mentioning that the smoke was particularly dense, making it impossible to see the road and vehicles braking ahead, resulting in rear-end collisions. The witness shared their experience of being stuck behind the incident for four hours, with a journey originating from Changchun in the morning and reaching Harbin in the afternoon, with a four-hour standstill due to the closure for cleanup before resuming traffic flow.