CARMEL — Maine State Police investigators Wednesday released their findings and conclusions as to what caused a massive pile-up in Carmel during the morning commute Feb. 25 on I-95 that involved 142 vehicles and 149 occupants.

The investigators determined that the entire multi-vehicle crash was caused by a combination of factors and simultaneous events, starting with a single motor vehicle crash. They also determined that operators were driving too fast for conditions and were following too closely. Road and weather conditions, which contributed to poor visibility, were also cited.

Additional factors included the downgrade of the roadway, the long-sweeping right hand curve and the channeling effect of the guardrails present on both sides of the roadway.

"It should be noted that not every vehicle involved in this incident had driver's actions that attributed to the event; several vehicles were able to safely avoid the collisions in front of them, only to be struck from behind," said the report.

According to the report, over the course of the first few minutes after the initial 911 call, law enforcement, fire and EMS were dispatched and arrived on scene to find the multiple-vehicle pile-up. The pile-up involved passenger cars, tractor trailer trucks and a school bus with passengers. There were also multiple victims requiring extrication due to entrapment.

First responders' initial efforts were to triage the scene, which is to identify and assign degrees of urgency to injured patients to decide the order of treatment in a large scene such as the one they had that Wednesday morning.

The investigators said that the scene was "particularly challenging" not only due to the volume of vehicles and victims, but also due to the lack of space to work in as the majority of the vehicles were tightly packed together and substantially damaged.

"The vehicles were in such close proximity that the responders navigated through the scene at times by walking over the tops of vehicles," said the report.

"Several vehicles had to be pulled apart in order for responders to reach the victims. A State Police SUV cruiser was utilized along with a chain borrowed from a crash victim to pull some of the vehicles apart. First responder teams were formed to extricate and treat the people most seriously injured; many of the victims had to be physically lifted out and over the mangled vehicles. Heavy snowfall made conditions very slippery," said report.

The investigation began almost immediately, with scene documentation that included photos and video. It was noted that cooperation between tow companies allowed investigators to have all the vehicles removed to a single staging area for further investigation, which included additional photos of each vehicle to aid in documentation of damage and to determine ownership.

Finally, the report said that no criminal charged were anticipated in relation to the accident, being called one of, it not the worst in Maine history.

The report includes a summary of events, with the first call to 911 coming in at 7:32 a.m. and the arrival of the first trooper at 7:37 a.m., which is also when the Interstate as shut down. The following statistics were also provided.

The main crash occurred at mile marker 172 northbound, in Carmel, and extended back approximately four miles, to mile marker 168.

The temperature was approximately 15 degrees Fahrenheit, with moderate to heavy snowfall. Road conditions were snow-covered and slippery, and reduced speed signs, indicating 45 mph, had been activated at approximately 5 a.m. and were still in effect.

There were 31 total reportable crashes (several crashes involved multiple vehicles); 102 total vehicles involved in reportable crashes; 40 estimated vehicles involved in non-reportable incidents (slid off roadway, minimal/no damage); 149 total occupants; and 32 total reports of injury.

Of the 39 vehicles involved in the primary crash scene at mile marker 172, there was one school bus, two tractor trailers, one flatbed wrecker, one single unit commercial truck and 34 passenger vehicles. Also at that scene, there were 50 total occupants and 26 total reports of injury.

Of the 149 total occupants along the four-mile crash route, only one occupant was not wearing a seat belt as required. The remainder included 139 who were wearing lap/shoulder belts, six were in child restraints and three were not wearing a seat belt because they were on the bus and not required to.

All of the injuries were non-life threatening, according to the report. Seventeen individuals were transported to area hospitals, and four walked into a medical facility on their own. A total of 19 were treated on-scene and released.

The accident prompted a shutdown of the Interstate from 7:34 a.m. to just before noon, when one lane was opened to thru traffic. The entire Interstate wasn't reopened and roadblocks removed until nearly 1 a.m. the following morning.

As for law enforcement, fire and EMS, there were 91 total responders. The 29 law enforcement responders included 19 State Police, seven Penobscot County Sheriff's deputies, one Warden Service officer, one Forestry Service officer and one municipal employee.

A total of approximately 28 firefighters responded, including seven from Carmel, five each from Etna, Bangor and Hermon, and three each from Newburgh and Brewer.

Approximately 34 EMS personnel also responded, along with 17 ambulances. EMS personnel were identified as responding from Capital Ambulance (12, Bangor), Hermon Volunteer Rescue (8, Hermon), G&H Ambulance (4, Glenburn), Sabasticook Valley Ambulance (4, Pittsfield), Mayo Ambulance (2, Dexter), Orrington Volunteer Ambulance Service (2, Orrington) and Hampden EMS (2, Hampden).

Related stories:

• UPDATE: 70-vehicle pile-up on I-95 likely largest ever in Maine

Contact Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com