Motorists huddle together after a 54 car pile-up early morning on the Kennedy Expressway Wednesday, April 15, 2020, in Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department says about 50 vehicles were involved in the pileup along the expressway. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

CHICAGO (AP) — Authorities say portions of a Chicago expressway left icy by a wintry blast led to a pileup involving of dozens of vehicles and sent 14 people to hospitals.

The Chicago Fire Department says about 50 vehicles were involved in the 5 a.m. Wednesday pileup along the Kennedy Expressway. Fire officials say 14 people were transported to area hospitals and 32 others were evaluated at the scene.

The crash prompted Illinois State Police to close all of the expressway’s southbound lanes near Chicago’s North Avenue for about three hours.

Snow fell across the region Wednesday morning as the Chicago area and parts of northwest Indiana were under a winter weather advisory.