FRESNO COUNTY, CA — A massive chain-reaction pileup involving 17 to 19 vehicles occurred on southbound Highway 99 on the morning of January 11, 2026. The crash happened around 9:17 a.m. near the State Route 41 interchange.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), thick ground fog, known as "tule fog," dropped visibility to nearly zero. The dense fog left drivers with almost no time to react before the series of collisions began.
Initial reports suggest the pileup may have started when a white Tesla entered the fog bank. As the collisions occurred, callers reported seeing smoke coming from under an overpass near Central and Cedar avenues.
The Fresno County Fire Department and local emergency crews led the rescue efforts at the scene. Paramedics treated several people for serious injuries before taking them to local hospitals.
To clear the wreckage and allow emergency crews to work, the CHP shut down the southbound lanes of the highway. Officers diverted traffic at the North Avenue exit and closed the Cedar Avenue on-ramp to prevent more vehicles from entering the area.
The CHP kept the crash site untouched for several hours while investigators worked to determine the order of the collisions and how the chain reaction started. Traffic remained diverted until the investigation was finished and the scene was cleared.
