MAEBASHI (Japan), Dec. 27 -- A devastating accident unfolded yesterday evening in Gunma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, as more than 50 vehicles became entangled in a massive pileup on the outbound lane of the Kan-etsu Expressway in Minakami.

According to Kyodo News, the incident, which occurred around 7.30pm, resulted in two fatalities and 26 injuries, five of which were reported as serious, according to local police.

Authorities believe the crash was triggered when vehicles skidded on an icy road surface as snow fell, causing hazardous driving conditions.

The initial collision involved a truck crashing into another truck that had stopped following a single-vehicle accident.

This led to a chain reaction of collisions stretching appro...