This fog-shrouded stretch of highway in the U.S. state of Virginia was the scene of a 75-vehicle pile-up on Sunday.

Three people were killed and 25 injured in the crash.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED ACCIDENT VICTIM, SAYING:

"We had stopped, we had seen there was some carnage in front of us and then all of a sudden behind us, the UPS truck came and side swiped our entire car on one side. We thought we were both dead."

Joe Carrabba, who was driving along the interstate, said he was lucky to be alive.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) DRIVER, JOE CARRABBA, SAYING:

"The tyres were exploding on the trucks that were on fire, we didn't know what it was and you could just hear the cars hitting one after the other."

The Virginia Department of Transportation said the accident backed up traffic for eight miles, with the interstate closed in both directions.

Police said heavy fog was to blame for the accident.