An early-morning 13-car accident on the Gowanus Expressway in the Manhattan-bound express/HOV lane, stretching between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Third Avenue, snarled traffic for hours, affecting rush hour commutes from the Verrazano Bridge up to the Brooklyn Bridge.
According to police, the cause may have been black ice that may have come from water from a construction site. However, a state Department of Transportation inspector reportedly said that construction workers were not responsible for the accident, and had actually shut off the water in anticipation of a drop in temperature.
Six people were injured, none with life-threatening conditions, according to police. They were all taken to nearby hospitals for treatment and evaluation.
Tow trucks and cranes began lifting the damaged cars out of the center HOV lane and into the main lanes for removal.
Traffic is moving in both directions but it’s very slow because of lane closures as removal of the vehicles continues.