Cajon Pass: At least 17 people injured in multi-vehicle crash on SB 15 Freeway

CAJON PASS, Calif. (KABC) -- Firefighter-paramedics attended to at least 17 injured people after a multi-vehicle crash on the foggy southbound 15 Freeway in the Cajon Pass on Wednesday, officials said.

In a tweet shortly after 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, the San Bernardino County Fire Department said the three-alarm, major casualty incident occurred between Oak Hills and Highway 138.

Fire officials initially stated in the tweet that paramedics were assessing 27 individuals. In a follow-up tweet 15 minutes later, the fire department updated the number of injured to 17, saying many involved declined treatment. Two people were taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

MORE: High school students get CHP escort to graduation ceremony after Cajon Pass pileup

CHP officers stepped in to help two high school students caught up in a major pileup along the Cajon Pass while on their way to graduation.

California Highway Patrol officials said two cars first crashed on the southbound 15 Freeway at about 10 a.m., and that started a chain-reaction wreck involving 20 to 30 other vehicles. Heavy fog and reduced visibility in the area contributed to the pile-up, authorities said.

Drivers in the crash said they tried to avoid colliding with other vehicles.

"I looked out my driver window and noticed there were two or three overturned cars, and then the guy behind me hit me, so it pushed me forward to the car ahead of me and it cracked my radiator," said Hesperia resident Nicole Taylor.

The incident prompted the closure of all southbound lanes for about two hours.

D'Sean Fisher and his sister were on their way to a high school graduation ceremony during the traffic jam. The two were set to miss out until ABC7 photographer Martin Orozco alerted CHP. The officers then jumped into action by giving the teens a lift.

All lanes were reopened around 1:30 p.m.