Fiery Wyoming pileup inside tunnel leaves at least 2 dead
A tragic fiery pileup occurred inside a tunnel on Interstate 80 in Wyoming, resulting in at least two fatalities and five injuries on Friday morning. The incident caused fire and smoke to billow from the tunnel as individuals scrambled to safety. Reports indicated that the structural integrity of the tunnel was compromised due to the crash.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation took to social media to announce that geologists and bridge engineers were en route to assess the tunnel’s infrastructure. The crash took place around 11:37 a.m. in the westbound Green River Tunnel, sparking a fire within the tunnel, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
The smoke and an exploding tire within the tunnel made it challenging for first responders to access the area post-crash, as mentioned by Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Warren. The highway remained closed in both directions, with the eastbound lanes of the tunnel serving as a staging area for first responders.
Director Darin Westby of WYDOT expressed heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, emphasizing thoughts and prayers for all those affected. The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Department was contacted by Fox News Digital for additional details on the incident.
Lt. Col. Karl Germain of the Wyoming Highway Patrol extended gratitude to the first responders in Sweetwater County for their swift response to the tragic crash. He reminded motorists to adhere to posted speed limits through the detour, as delays were expected.
The Associated Press contributed to the report on the devastating tunnel crash, underscoring the ongoing closure of the highway and the use of the eastbound lanes for emergency personnel staging. The WordPress platform will seamlessly integrate this rewritten post, preserving the original HTML tags, headings, and key points.
