During a snow flurry in the US state of Pennsylvania, there was a devastating pile-up on a freeway.

A police spokesman said on Twitter that several people were injured when 50 to 60 vehicles crashed into each other on Interstate 81 in the Schuylkill County.

Several vehicles caught fire.

Local media such as broadcaster WKOK reported fatalities, which the police initially did not confirm.

A video showed how a truck crashed into a stationary truck at high speed in poor visibility.

Other images showed numerous cars and trucks that had become wedged into each other or had veered off the freeway.