Calling it "the worst I've ever seen," a New Orleans tow truck driver fought for the right words to describe the aftermath and fallout of a tremendous traffic pileup that occurred early last Thursday morning on a stretch of I-10 in eastern New Orleans.

It is difficult for authorities to say in the immediate wake of the massive car accident chain reaction what precipitated the collision of nearly 40 vehicles around 4:30 a.m., but poor visibility from fog or smoke was an evident factor.

"When I got out here, there were times when you couldn't see 10 feet in front of you," said one emergency responder.

The consequences of the accident were dire. Two motorists -- a driver from Slidell and a motorist from Springfield, respectively -- died in the crash, and two dozen-plus others were hospitalized, some of them reportedly with severe injuries. More than 30 other people who did not require hospitalization were also injured.

Area medical facilities became quickly involved, with the injured being taken to Tulane Hospital, LSU Interim Hospital, Slidell Memorial Hospital and Ochsner Baptist.

Local EMS workers described a scene of near total chaos following the mass collision, with fog and smoke enveloping the accident area and crash victims calling for help.

Responders worked throughout the day, taking about 12 hours to clear the wreckage and reopen traffic in both directions.

Source: WWL-TV, "I-10 in east reopens after fatal, 40-car accident" Dec. 29, 2011