Austin crash: Baby and child among five killed in horror 17-vehicle pileup on busy motorway

First responders were called to the southbound lanes of the I-35 between Howard Lane and Parmer Lane in Austin at approximately 6:38pm local time minutes after impact

Five people - including a baby and a child - have died in a horror multi-vehicle crash tonight.

Victims have reportedly been "pinned in their vehicles" amid the "incredibly chaotic" scenes on the I-35 in Austin, Texas. Emergency services were called to the southbound lanes of the interstate between Howard Lane and Parmer Lane - a construction zone lined with concrete barriers - at around 6.38pm local time.

The incident involved multiple vehicles with trapped passengers. It took hours for the Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS), Austin Fire and the Austin Police Department to extract the infant, child and three deceased adults from a vehicle at the scene, reports the Mirror US.

CBS Austin reported that up to 11 others, including several children, were injured and transported to regional hospitals. KXAN stated that four adults and one child are being treated for critical, life-threatening injuries, while four adults and two children have minor injuries.

"This incident was incredibly chaotic, and it was spread out over about a 10th of a mile," Captain Christa Stedman of ATCEMS said. She continued with praise for the teamwork on scene: "So, without the collaboration of our partners, we would not have been able to manage the scene as well as we did. We were able to get all the predications off the scene within about 40 minutes. Considering how complex the scene was, that's pretty impressive."

Horrifying mobile phone footage captured at the scene showed debris from the wrecked vehicles scattered across the southbound lanes of the interstate, while those caught up in the crash were seen desperately trying to collect their scattered possessions.

The road remain closed while police investigate the horrific smash, which involved 17 vehicles. It will remain shut for several hours throughout Friday night, it is said.

The exact cause of the crash, which involved multiple HGVs, remains unclear at this stage. Reports highlight that although one 18-wheeler suffered a ruptured fuel tank, it managed to avoid bursting into flames.

Local officials are urging people to keep away from the area while they conduct an inquiry into the tragic event. The identities, including names and ages of those who lost their lives, have not been disclosed, with only broad descriptors being shared publicly at this point.