A massive chain-reaction crash involving multiple vehicles occurred early Tuesday morning on Bulgaria’s Trakia Highway, reportedly triggered by dense fog. The accident happened at around 7 a.m. near the Zimnitsa interchange, at kilometer 290.
According to the latest reports, 12 people have been killed and 48 injured.
A partial state of emergency has been declared in three municipalities in the Yambol region following the devastating pileup. Authorities have mobilized all available personnel and equipment from the regions of Yambol, Sliven, and Burgas to respond to the disaster and assist the injured.
A Spartan military transport aircraft has also been deployed as part of the rescue operation, according to Bulgarian news outlet Novinite.bg.
The emergency declaration covers the municipalities of Yambol, Tundzha, and Straldzha. The order was issued by Regional Governor Georgi Chalakov and took effect at 7:30 a.m. on November 10, according to the regional administration.
The measure was prompted by the scale of the crash and the extensive property damage caused by the multiple-vehicle collision.
Emergency services and rescue teams have been mobilized, while regional authorities have introduced a series of urgent measures aimed at limiting the consequences of the accident and protecting the public.
These measures include providing timely information to residents through Bulgaria’s national early-warning system and the BG-ALERT platform, as well as placing heavy machinery and additional personnel on standby.
The rescue operation is being coordinated by Commissioner Ivan Dinev, director of the Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection in Yambol.
Police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical teams are at the scene. The injured have been transported to hospitals in three cities — Yambol, Sliven, and Burgas — where they are receiving medical treatment.
Additional medical and rescue teams have been dispatched from all three regions to support the emergency response.
Authorities continue to work at the scene, with all available resources deployed to manage the aftermath of what is being described as one of the most serious traffic accidents on Bulgaria’s Trakia Highway.
