MANCHAC, La. — Editor's note: On Friday, Oct. 27, Louisiana State Police reduced the number of victims to seven fatalities rather than eight following a forensic investigation.
When Clinton Blades was dispatched to a wreck on Interstate 55 Monday morning, he didn’t know what to expect.
“Initially it was 10 cars but as we were in route, we started getting more updates. Then it became 20,” said Blades. “Then we stopped getting numbers and it was just multiple cars with some on fire, some people trapped.”
A field supervisor with Acadian Ambulance out of Hammond, Blades was one of the first paramedics there. He went car to car through heavy fog, looking for people with injuries.
“A lot of people were very confused, a lot of people not really sure what was going on. People scared - a panic. People were panicked because they couldn’t see,” said Blades. “They didn’t know the full extent of what all they were involved in.”
What they were involved in was a series of at least three crashes, spanning about a mile. State police say more than 160 vehicles were involved, some of them on fire. Blades says 18 Acadian Ambulances transported almost 50 people to hospitals, some of them critical.
“We had units making multiple trips,” said Blades.
State police are now trying to track down other patients.
“There were several people that took themselves to the hospital and that’s part of the reason we’re asking for information from those involved,” said Troop B TFC Kate Stegall.
Twenty-one people were taken to North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond. One of them died Monday night, bringing the number of deaths to seven. In his 19 years as a paramedic, Blades says he’s never seen anything like what he saw on the interstate.
“I know I’ve never been involved with a crash of that scale,” said Blades.
Blades also saw something that stood out.
“People were offering any assistance they had, even just a set of hands to help people move,” said Blades.
Blades say people involved in the crash who were not injured jumped into action, helping each other while first responders were still trying to get there.
“They were basically already starting the process for us,” said Blades. “It gives you a little hope for humanity.”
That humanity was given at a time when it was needed most.