4 Die in 250-Car Pileup in Italy

Four people were killed and at least 50 injured Thursday in a pileup involving 250 vehicles on a foggy highway in northeastern Italy, police said.

Television pictures showed scores of crumpled and burned cars, piled up one behind the other. Some vehicles were still on fire. Others had plunged down a grass bank into a ditch.

“At the moment there are four people dead,” a police spokesman said. “There are still some people trapped in their cars, and firemen are trying to free them.” Some of the victims reportedly burned to death.

Police said visibility was less than 60 yards at the time the crash occurred on the highway between Padua and Rovigo.

Three people were killed on the southbound side of the highway, where the first collision occurred. The other victim died on the northbound side when drivers apparently slowed.