Boston-area freezing rain causes 30-car pileup on state Route 128

BOSTON -- State police are reporting numerous multi-vehicle accidents on Boston-area highways that were turned into skating rinks by early morning freezing rain.

Police tweeted that Route 128 northbound north of Interstate 93 in the Wakefield area was completely shut down Wednesday for multiple crashes involving dozens of vehicles.

CBS Boston station WBZ-TV reports that as many as 30 vehicles crashed on the highway before sunrise.

I-93 near the I-495 interchange in Methuen was also closed by a multi-vehicle crash.

Crashes have also been reported on the Massachusetts Turnpike in the Allston-Brighton and Millbury areas.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

State Highway Administrator Tom Tinlin told CBS Boston station WBZ-AM that freezing rain accompanied by rapidly dropping temperatures that moved in at 4:30 a.m. “was not anticipated.”

He says the state had 400 pieces of equipment out treating roads overnight and added another 200 when the rain hit.