Hattiesburg police, fire clear crashes on I-59 southbound

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi — Hattiesburg police and fire departments responded to three separate crashes on Interstate 59 southbound near mile marker 60 that left multiple people injured, officials said.

Authorities said the injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Traffic backed up for several miles, and drivers were urged to avoid the area, use alternate routes and allow extra travel time while responders worked.

Two additional accidents were reported during the response, but as of 6:45 p.m. officials said all accidents had been cleared from the roadway and traffic was flowing normally. Motorists were advised to slow down, stay alert and give first responders room to work.

Interstate 59 is a major north-south corridor through Mississippi that carries both local and through traffic. We will provide more information as it becomes available.