CHP confirms 59 vehicles, 10 hospitalized and no fatalities; closures stretched from near Avenue 24 to the Kern County line before lanes reopened.
VISALIA, Calif. — Highway 99 reopened Saturday after a chain-reaction crash in thick tule fog damaged 59 vehicles in Tulare County and closed both directions for hours, the California Highway Patrol said. Ten people were hospitalized with minor to moderate injuries.
The crash, reported a little after 8:15 a.m., struck one of the state’s busiest north–south freight routes at a time when weekend travelers and trucks often fill limited gaps of clearer air between fog banks. Early counts from local officials ran far higher before investigators verified 59 vehicles. The corridor was shut near Avenue 24 while officers pushed detours to farm roads and state routes to keep traffic moving. As heavy wreckers pulled semis from the median, Caltrans crews swept up shattered glass, sheared plastic and spilled coolant so lanes could reopen.
Officer Adrian Gonzalez said the worst injuries included a moderate forehead laceration; nine other patients reported pain or minor wounds. “Vehicles were turned over and up on each other, under each other,” Gonzalez said, describing how fast visibility collapsed. Some drivers told officers they could see only a few car lengths before encountering stopped traffic. Fire agencies formed triage groups on both shoulders while tow trucks leapfrogged damaged cars to staging areas. Uninjured motorists boarded buses to the International Agri-Center in Tulare, where they waited for rides and insurance calls.
Investigators are mapping the first contact point, reviewing dashcams and truck telematics, and taking statements to determine whether sudden braking, disabled vehicles without lights or speed for conditions contributed. The fog layer, common after clear, cold nights on irrigated cropland, dropped visibility to roughly 100 to 200 feet. Several vehicles breached the concrete median, pushing debris into oncoming lanes and complicating the closure. Officials said no hazardous materials spills were confirmed, though crews treated small fuel and fluid leaks before reopening traffic.
Highway 99 has been the scene of numerous fog-related chain collisions across decades. The Central Valley’s winter radiation fog, locally called tule fog, forms when moist air near the ground cools rapidly overnight, settling in low areas and lingering through late morning. Past multi-vehicle crashes along 99 and nearby Interstate 5 have triggered similar extended shutdowns, particularly where on-ramps feed quickly into high-speed lanes and drivers encounter abrupt visibility walls. Saturday’s event follows recent advisories warning of morning fog pockets between Madera, Tulare and Kern counties.
No citations or criminal charges were immediately announced. CHP said it will release a preliminary assessment this week, including a timeline of impacts and lane closures. Caltrans will evaluate whether temporary message boards, speed management or ramp metering changes are warranted in that stretch. Insurance adjusters began weekend intake for dozens of vehicles, and tow yards in Tulare and Kern counties reported an influx of sedans, pickups and at least a handful of tractor-trailers. Officers planned to remain on scene into the evening to help those retrieving belongings from impounded cars.
By midafternoon, both directions of Highway 99 had reopened near Avenue 24, with residual delays easing as wreckers cleared the last vehicles from the median. Investigators planned to return Sunday, Feb. 1, to document remaining skid marks and verify the final damage tally. As of Saturday night, officials said 10 people were treated at area hospitals and no deaths had been reported.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, February 1, 2026.