Pack says there were 20 minor injuries but no fatalities. He says it's not clear what caused the first pileup.

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The first crash happened around 6 p.m. during strong storms and troopers said rubberneckers contributed to the others.

One woman who narrowly avoided a crash explained what happened.

“Basically the sun was shining on the road and there was a light rain and it was so bright on the road, there was a glare and everybody had to come to a halt,” she said.

Drivers said they saw so many tow trucks they lost count.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported around 8:45 p.m. that I-40 West/I-85 South was closed at an exit near Burlington. It reopened around 11:15 p.m.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez