Snow cause for alarm on roads

READING

- Highways in eastern Pennsylvania were reopened after being shut down for hours because of chain-reaction pileups that ensnared dozens of vehicles on snow-covered roads.

No deaths were reported.

Pennsylvania Turnpike officials said 35 vehicles piled up yesterday, blocking westbound lanes and causing a 4-mile backup about 50 miles west of Philadelphia, between the Morgantown and Reading exits.

Turnpike spokeswoman Renee Colborn said the highway reopened after 5 p.m. and about 10 people were taken to hospitals.

Meanwhile, State Police said 25 to 30 vehicles piled up on Interstate 78 and shut down about 5 miles of westbound lanes, also in Berks County.

The lanes reopened after 3 p.m. Trooper David Beohm said 25 people were taken to hospitals and 44 were treated at the scene.

- Associated Press