Deadly crash shuts down Interstate 790

Two lives were lost and 20 injured after a chain reaction crash that occurred on Interstate 790 early this morning involving four tractor trailers and 14 cars.

Among the 20 people hospitalized, four were seriously injured; two of the most severely injured had to be air lifted by a helicopter to Memorial Hospital. Fire chief Tony Sullivan indicated that among the injuries there were some which were life threatening. Two people driving cars did not survive the crash.

The chain reaction crash began when two tractor trailers collided, ultimately involving 14 cars and two more tractor trailers. “When I arrived at the crash scene it looked like something from a war zone,” stated Sullivan. He acknowledged that the crash was worse than anything he had seen in his 18 and a half years with the fire department. Although the accident is still under investigation, the city’s police department says they believe the crash occurred at 6:45 a.m.

Sullivan described how his firefighters had to cut the roofs off three of the cars to free the occupants trapped inside. According to Sgt. Albert Wei of the police department, “The police officers on the scene were having trouble figuring out which people were from which vehicles and discerning drivers from passengers.”

Wei confirmed that the crash happened on the northbound lanes of the interstate that runs along the western edge of the city, forcing authorities to close the entire highway. The interstate was still closed at 10 a.m. which created trouble for the usual rush hour traffic that was forced to take Interstate 690 on the eastern side of the city. At last report, Wei said he did not know when the interstate would reopen.