"Twenty-eight cars and four trucks were involved in the pile-up, which was the result of speeding, ice and bad weather," rescue services' official Haakan Dahlbaeck told AFP.

Ten people were taken to hospital, including at least four who were seriously injured, Dahlbaeck said, adding that a section of the autoroute was closed off for much of the day as a result of the accident.

Four other accidents took place in the vicinity within 90 minutes, he said.

Thirty rescue workers from four fire stations took part in the rescue and clean-up operations, as well as numerous ambulances.

Temperatures in the Stockholm area dropped to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, with heavy winds and blowing snow. Twenty centimeters (eight inches) of snow are expected by Saturday.

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