Three Mountain Home airmen believed to be among those killed in fiery Idaho crash
By: Charlsy Panzino
Three airmen are believed to be involved in a multiple vehicle accident in Idaho over the weekend, but it might take days to identify the victims of the crash.
Four people were killed on Saturday on eastbound Interstate 84 in Boise, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
Idaho State Police said the crash involved seven vehicles in a construction zone, according to KBOI-TV, the CBS-affiliated TV station in Boise.
Mountain Home Air Force Base told Air Force Times they won’t be able to confirm the airmen were among the four dead until their identities are verified.
“We believe some airmen stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base were involved in the accident,” according to the 366th Fighter Wing public affairs.
The coroner’s office said the indentification process will occur over the next several days because of the condition of the bodies.
According to police, a semi-truck and SUV slowed down in a construction zone when a second commercial truck hit the two vehicles from behind. Four other vehicles were involved.
The incident is under investigation, and more information will be released when it’s available.
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Four confirmed dead after fiery I-84 crash, could include Mtn. Home airmen
By Nicole Blanchard
nblanchard@idahostatesman.com
Updated June 18, 2018 03:22 PM
The Ada County Coroner's Office confirmed Monday morning that four people were killed in a fiery car crash that involved seven vehicles on Saturday.
Police are working to notify next of kin of "multiple fatalities" following the crash on Interstate 84 that involved multiple passenger and commercial vehicles, Idaho State Police said.
ISP initially reported that two people were hospitalized at Saint Alphonsus in Boise after the crash. Mountain Home Air Force Base on Monday issued a release that said the crash involved three airmen stationed at the base.
"The forensic identification process will be taking place over the next several days due to the conditions of the decedents," a press release from the coroner's office stated. "Once forensic identification is made and proper next of kin notifications are complete, identification will be released."
The press release stated it may take several days to release the identification of all involved.
According to an ISP press release, the crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. on eastbound I-84 at milepost 47, near the Cloverdale Road overpass. A semi truck and SUV slowed for construction traffic while eastbound on the interstate. A second commercial truck struck the SUV and semi truck from behind. Four other vehicles were also involved.
Flames shot from the crash, which shut down I-84 overnight and into Sunday morning. The interstate reopened shortly after noon, but the Idaho Transportation Department said the Cloverdale overpass, which was damaged by fire, will remain closed indefinitely as crews survey the extent of the damage.
"Before opening up the interestate, we did have crews inspect the bridge — above and beneath it — to ensure there was no danger of debris falling off the underside of it," ITD spokesman Jake Melder said Monday. "There wasn't a danger there, so that's what allowed us to open the interstate."
Inspectors determined the overpass itself is unsafe, however, for vehicles. It will remain closed — possibly for several months — until repairs can be made.
Initial plans call for the damaged section to be removed and replaced.
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/article213345519.html#storylink=cpy
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Cloverdale overpass will be closed 'indefinitely' after deadly I-84 wreck
The seven-vehicle crash sent two people to the hospital and caused damage to the Cloverdale overpass, which remains closed.
Author: KTVB
Updated: 4:18 PM MDT June 18, 2018
BOISE, ID -- The Cloverdale Road overpass will remain shut down "indefinitely" after a fiery seven-vehicle crash that killed four people and shut down Interstate 84 in Boise for hours on Sunday.
According to the Idaho Department of Transportation, the overpass was damaged by the fire and will remain closed until full repairs can be made. ITD says it is safe to drive on the interstate under the overpass.
The department expects to remove and replace the damaged section, which could take months to complete. ITD will develop an emergency contract to make repairs as quickly as possible, officials said.
The Ada County coroner has not yet released the names of the people who died in the crash. Forensic identification is scheduled to take place over the next several days.
"I ask for your patience during this process as it may take several days before identification can be released," Coroner Dotti Owens wrote in a release.
Mountain Home Air Force Base said in a release Monday that three of the people involved were airmen stationed in Mountain Home. The 366th Fighter Wing will release more information as it becomes available, officials said.
Officials have not said whether the airmen are among the dead, or were merely injured in the wreck.
The stretch of interstate - between Eagle and Cole roads - reopened Sunday afternoon, 13 hours after the crash sent two people to the hospital and caused damage to the Cloverdale overpass.
Idaho State Police say a commercial vehicle and an SUV had slowed down near the Cloverdale overpass due to construction when a second commercial vehicle hit them from behind.
Four other vehicles were also involved the chain-reaction crash, which caused at least one vehicle to catch fire.
Ginger Bradburn was on the road at that time and says she narrowly missed colliding with one of the commercial trucks involved.
"The headlights were staring at me in my passenger side," Bradburn said. "I don't know how it didn't hit me. I don't know how it should have."
Fortunately, Bradburn was able to quickly move out of the truck's path.
"Then all of the sudden I hear crashes," she said. "I looked in my rearview mirror and I saw flames. There were car parts all over the road."
Police say they are working with the Ada County Coroner's Office to notify family members of those killed in the crash.
A fiery crash on Interstate 84 in Boise Saturday night caused damage to the Cloverdale overpass, and prompted a long closure of eastbound lanes of the freeway.
Both eastbound and westbound lanes were blocked for several hours as police investigated the crash.
The westbound lanes reopened by about 5 a.m., but the eastbound lanes remained closed from Eagle Road to Cole Road until almost 1 p.m. Sunday. The closure caused major backups on I-84 between the Meridian and Eagle exits. Adjacent streets, like Overland Road were also backed up due to the diverted traffic.