Cars backed up for miles in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 64 after a pileup on the bridge between the Nitro and St. Albans exits of I-64.

After the initial accident, more cars were involved in a chain reaction accident as they tried to stop, said Nitro Fire Capt. Shawn Alderman. About 15 cars were involved and one person was taken to Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital, he said.

A red car was smashed against the side of the bridge by a trailer carrying several vehicles. It took rescue workers about 15 minutes to pry open the vehicle and remove the man inside, said Nitro Fire Capt. Shawn Alderman.

"I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a whole lot of car carrier coming at me," said David Haden, who narrowly avoided being struck by the vehicle. "There was already a wreck ahead of me and I pulled over and then saw the red car get clipped."

The accident tied up the eastbound lanes of Interstate 64 for about two hours and the westbound lanes for about an hour, he said.

After the initial accident, more cars were involved in a chain reaction accident as they tried to stop, said Nitro Fire Capt. Shawn Alderman. About 15 cars were involved and one person was taken to Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital, he said.

A red car was smashed against the side of the bridge by a trailer carrying several vehicles. It took rescue workers about 15 minutes to pry open the vehicle and remove the man inside, said Nitro Fire Capt. Shawn Alderman.

"I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a whole lot of car carrier coming at me," said David Haden, who narrowly avoided being struck by the vehicle. "There was already a wreck ahead of me and I pulled over and then saw the red car get clipped."

The accident tied up the eastbound lanes of Interstate 64 for about two hours and the westbound lanes for about an hour, he said.