A man miraculously survived being smashed between two tractor trailers in a massive pileup that left 12 people injured in eastern Oregon.

Kaleb Whitby, 27, received only minor injuries despite being found inside his truck sandwiched between two big rigs, where he remained trapped for 30 minutes and was captured by a photographer who was also in the wreck.

Whitby says he is happy to still be alive, and “now I’ve got to figure out why,” he told OregonLive.com.

The crash on Interstate 84 on Saturday morning involved more than 100 people and happened about 33 miles east of Baker City near the Idaho border.

The 12 who were injured were treated at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker City, and the most severely injured was taken to OHSU Hospital in Portland in critical condition. Six of the injured remained in the hospital on Saturday afternoon, two in stable and condition in Baker City and the other four transferred to a hospital in Boise, Idaho.

Authorities blamed the crash on treacherous conditions including black ice, fog, and heavy winds. It is a difficult stretch of road, and nine people died in 2012 when a charter bus crashed on the interstate near Pendleton.

A total of about 50 vehicles were involved in the accident. A police officer said it was fortunate that there were no fatalities.

Whitby was on is way to Council, Idaho, and had left his pregnant wife and young son in the tri-cities area of southeastern Washington state. He was going to pick up two truckloads of cattle in Council.

He was passing a semi-truck in front of him but backed off due to the heavy fog, and then rounded the curve when he suddenly saw the semi jackknifed on the interstate. He tried to swerve right but smashed into the back end of the trailer, which flipped him around, leaving him exposed to oncoming traffic.

Suddenly, the headlights of a semi-truck glared at him, and he braced for impact. It collided with his truck, and Whitby found himself surrounded by shattered class with the steering column lodged into his hip.

After shouting for help, he was discovered by a 32-year-old trucker whose truck had struck the guardrail after coming upon the accident scene.