Unexpected Christmas Eve snow squalls made the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike treacherous.

There were two major accidents. One happened around 4 p.m. at mile 103 northbound, just south of Wilkes-Barre, and involved eight passenger vehicles and an emergency services vehicle. Three people were taken by ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, with non-life threatening injuries. The left lane reopened at 4:30 p.m., and the right lane at 7 p.m., according to spokeswoman Renee Colburn.The other crash happened at about the same time, at mile 50.6 northbound. It involved a passenger vehicle and a tractor trailer. Four people were slightly hurt.