A three-vehicle crash on Highway 166 northeast of Santa Maria sent multiple people to local hospitals on Monday afternoon. 

Shortly before 1 p.m., crews from Cal Fire-San Luis Obispo, the California Highway Patrol, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the Santa Maria Fire Department and Los Padres National Forest were dispatched to a “mass-casualty incident” on the 7400 block of Highway 166, near Twitchell Reservoir and Alamo Creek Road east of Highway 101. 

Additionally, two medical helicopters were requested, along with ground ambulances.

Cal Fire officials said multiple patients were transported to area hospitals.

Additional details were not immediately available.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation by the CHP. 

A section of Highway 166 between Highway 101 and the Cuyama Valley was closed for a time Monday afternoon while emergency crews were at the scene. The roadway reopening at 5 p.m.

The roadway linking the Central Coast and the San Joaquin Valley typically sees  heavy traffic during holiday weekends.