GREEN RIVER, Wyo. (DDN) – A multi-vehicle incident within a southwest Wyoming highway tunnel killed two people on Friday, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Following the pileup, authorities closed traffic in both directions on Interstate 80 in Green River. The important, coast-to-coast highway connects San Francisco to Teaneck, New Jersey.
Other injuries were reported, but specifics were not immediately available.
The transportation authorities stated that the tunnel has been evacuated.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol reported that troopers responded to the multi-vehicle incident in the westbound lanes soon after 11:30 a.m. Video from the Department of Transportation’s traffic cameras showed black smoke rising from an exit tunnel.
The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office called the collision “a multivehicle pileup, active fire, and explosion threat.”
Gov. Mark Gordon called the incident a tragedy and said there was no timetable for reopening the route while highway staff inspected the tunnel for damage.
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“I am praying for all concerned and their families,” he stated in a statement. “I have directed the appropriate agencies to work with the local communities to offer aid and assistance to the injured, to those who have suffered loss, and in support of efforts to resolve ongoing concerns.”
Representatives from a nearby hospital and the local medical examiner did not immediately respond to inquiries about the number of injured.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather prediction for the region, predicting snow. The transportation authority reported a sloppy and slush-lined Interstate 80 in some portions of the state on Friday.
Reference: 2 dead in Wyoming highway tunnel pileup that closed major east-west interstate
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