A massive pile-up involving at least 50 vehicles on the Kan-etsu Expressway in central Japan left two dead and 26 injured on 26 December. Police said the crash began when two trucks collided, triggering a chain reaction. This caused at least 10 vehicles to catch fire. A 77-year-old woman from Tokyo died at the scene. Another body was found inside the driver's seat of a burnt-out truck. Five people suffered serious injuries, and 21 had minor injuries. The accident happened around 19:30 local time near Minakami in Gunma prefecture, about 160 km northwest of Tokyo. Police believe icy road conditions and heavy snow caused the trucks to skid. Putting out the fire took about seven and a half hours. The highway section was closed, leaving many burnt vehicles stuck in the outbound lane. Cleanup and towing are currently underway. A witness in his 60s told local media NHK, "I heard a loud explosion from the far end of the pile-up and saw fire during the crash." He was evacuated with around 50 others and had to spend the night at a nearby toll gate. Nexco, the road operator, said they would check for surface damage caused by the fire. They warned travelers not to use the highway until further notice.