Six vehicles collide on S12 at Janówek, one woman killed, Ukrainian truck driver blamed

In brief

• A chain-reaction crash involving six vehicles, including two military trucks, occurred on S12 near Janówek on Friday afternoon.
• One woman driving a Volkswagen Polo was killed, and a six-person family was taken to hospital for examinations.
• Police say a Ukrainian truck driver failed to brake in time, while the S12 remained closed toward Chełm and Zamość.

Chain-reaction crash on S12

Six vehicles collided on the S12 expressway in Janówek, in Lubelskie Voivodeship, on Friday around 5:45 p.m. (Tragiczny wypadek z udziałem wojskowych ciężarówek. Zginęła kobieta – wydarzenia.interia.pl) (Makabryczny wypadek na S12 w Janówku. Zderzyło się sześć pojazdów – RMF24) The crash happened on the stretch between the Świdnik and Piaski Zachód interchanges, where a road-works zone narrows the carriageway and traffic is routed onto one side of the road.

Victim and injured

A woman driving a Volkswagen Polo was killed at the scene. Police said a six-person family travelling in a Peugeot was taken to hospital for examinations. (Tragiczny wypadek na S12 w Janówku. Zderzyło się kilka pojazdów – RMF24)

How the collision unfolded

According to preliminary police findings, a truck driven by a Ukrainian citizen struck a passenger car that was stopped behind another truck. The impact pushed the vehicles into one another, creating a domino effect in which the six vehicles, including two military trucks, were involved. (Tragiczny wypadek na S12. Zderzyło się sześć pojazdów, w tym wojskowe ciężarówki – Rzeczpospolita) Police spokeswoman Elwira Domaradzka of the Świdnik county police told TVN24 that one of the trucks, unable to brake, hit a passenger car with great force. (Karambol z udziałem wojskowych ciężarówek. Nie żyje jedna osoba – Onet)

Road closure and traffic

The S12 remained closed in the direction of Chełm and Zamość while rescue teams worked at the scene. Traffic was diverted at the Świdnik interchange. Police asked drivers to exercise caution, follow instructions from emergency services and use the marked detours, and said delays could last until at least 9 p.m.

Key facts

• Date and time: Friday, 13 November 2026, around 5:45 p.m.
• Location: S12, Janówek, between Świdnik and Piaski Zachód interchanges
• Vehicles involved: six, including two military trucks and two civilian trucks
• Fatalities: one, a woman driving a Volkswagen Polo