A father of two has been identified as one of the victims in the devastating Louisiana car crash involving at least 168 vehicles.
The death toll has risen to eight after Louisiana State Police confirmed another person passed away at the hospital.
Among them is Qutub Singh Negi, 40, an executive chef for Punjabi Dhaba, working in both Hammond and Kenner, who frequently used the I-55 to commute between the locations, according to WSDU.
He was on his way to work when he was caught up in the catastrophic pile-up on Monday near New Orleans, initially caused by “super fog” that limited the visibility of the drivers.
The super fog was caused by smoke from marsh fires in the area that combined with fog, which created dangerously low visibility.
His close friend, Raj Pannu, told WDSU that Mr Neji usually went to work around 11am, but on that particular day, he went early to deliver boxed lunches and left around 9am.
Mr Pannu told the outlet that his family was distraught by his passing and had just celebrated 15 years of marriage with his wife.
"I can’t even describe. She is talking, then she cries,” he said.
One car was seen to have gone over the edge of the road into the water— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
“She shows me pictures of all the good times they had. All we can do is give her the moral support and tell her to be strong."
Sixty-three people were injured in the pile-up that stretched along one mile of the elevated interstate, police have confirmed during their ongoing investigation.
The huge crash caused a section of the road to catch fire and destroyed a tanker truck carrying “hazardous liquid,” police said.
At least one vehicle went over the edge and lay sideways in the water below the intersection, as shown in pictures posted by the Louisiana State Police.
St John Sheriff Mike Tregre said that there was a total of 25 crashes, which involved three 18-wheel trucks, of which two went up in flames.
An eigth person was confirmed to have died by police— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
All vehicles have been cleared along the I-55, and debris is now being taken off the road along with diesel and other chemicals left on the surface, police reported.
They believe that parts of the bridge will require repairs, and a testing consultant may start bridge deck scans to see what parts of the concrete are damaged.
Police said on Wednesday that the I-55 will still remain closed in both directions from I-10 to Ponchatoula while crews finish inspecting the roadway.
The friends of Mr Negi have set up a GoFundMe to support his family and to raise money for his funeral, which will take place on 3 November.
