STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. (AP) — Missouri roads officials say a 15-vehicle crash has blocked a section of Interstate 55 on the southeastern side of the state as snow swept through the area and slicked roads.

The Missouri Department of Transportation issued the news of the pileup on its Twitter page around 4 p.m. Saturday. The department says the interstate near Ste. Genevieve was blocked because of the crash, which included a responding firetruck. Motorists were urged to find an alternate route. There was no immediate word on injuries.

The department said crews hoped to clear the interstate’s lanes within a few hours, but said snowfall was slowing that work.

Officials say many roads in Missouri have been slicked over with ice from rain earlier in the day before conditions turned to snow and plummeting temperatures.