A significant multi-vehicle pileup occurred yesterday, Thursday, January 15, 2026, on Interstate 81 southbound in the town of LaFayette, just south of Syracuse.
Incident Details
* Scale: Approximately 37 vehicles were involved in total, including three tractor-trailers. The primary crash involved 18 vehicles, followed by several smaller chain-reaction collisions.
* Cause: The crash is believed to be weather-related, as the area was experiencing typical winter driving conditions.
* Injuries: Seven people were transported to local hospitals (Upstate Medical, Crouse, and Upstate Community). Two individuals sustained serious injuries, though they are reported to be non-life-threatening.
* Evacuation: Uninjured drivers and passengers were evacuated from the scene via a CENTRO bus to the LaFayette Fire Department.
Current Traffic Status (as of January 16, 2026)
* I-81: The interstate has since reopened in both directions.
* Thruway (I-90/I-87): While the LaFayette pileup is cleared, New York State Thruway authorities are reporting several other minor crashes today, including:
* I-90 Westbound: Near Milepost 284 (between exits 37 and 38).
* I-190 Northbound: Near Buffalo (exits 8 and 17).
* I-287 Westbound: Cross Westchester Expressway (between exits 9 and 9A).
If you are currently traveling, you can check the 511NY website or the NYS Thruway Authority real-time map for the most recent updates on lane closures.
Would you like me to check the weather forecast for a specific upstate NY region to see if more snow is expected?
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