FROM THE INVESTIGATION ARCHIVES:
I-80 CLOSES DUE TO FATAL ACCIDENT. ONE TRACTOR TRAILER WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER ONE; THE TRAILER IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE, KILLING THE SECOND TRUCK DRIVER
March 25, 2011
Laramie,
Wyoming:
At approximately 5:50 A.M. state troopers arrived to a tractor trailer engulfed in flames.
"One tractor trailer was going approximately 5 to 10 m.p.h. when rear-ended by another one," Wyoming State Trooper Troy Marrs said.
Witnesses say the trailer immediately caught on fire and remained on fire for up to an hour.
"The vehicle that got rear-ended that was slow moving...the co-driver of that vehicle came back, attempted to approach the vehicle that was on fire to see if he could help the driver," Marrs said. "He said it was fully engulfed at that time. There was some type of explosion. He was unable to assist that driver, at which time they went back to their truck and pulled their tractor away from the trailer in case the flames spread."
Police and firefighters were on the scene all morning and afternoon, as well as a coroner.
"We did recover one victim from the...one of the tractor trailers."
The driver killed was a 48 year-old male from Omaha. The other driver, from Michigan, was treated and released from Ivinson Hospital while the passenger was not injured. What has highway patrol puzzled is...
"Why one truck was going 5 to 10 m.p.h. So we're looking at mechanical; I'll be doing a full truck inspection on that, interviewing the driver again when he is discharged from the hospital and going from there."
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Fatal Crash Closes Eastbound I-80 Between Laramie & Cheyenne
Laramie – The
number of fatalities remains unknown at this time from an early morning
crash involving two eastbound tractor trailer combination units. The
crash happened around 5:40 a.m. at Buford.
Eastbound Interstate 80 remains closed as the fire continues to burn and fire departments continue to poor water onto the now smoldering scene.
Wyoming Highway Patrol Troopers were dispatched to the crash and found when they arrived that one tractor trailer combination had rear ended a slower tractor trailer combination. Upon impact, the second tractor trailer caught fire and has been totally consumed.
The impact was severe enough that both van type trailers were breached and their load of empty dog food sacks and large rolls of possibly flooring covered the roadway.
Troopers working with WYDOT personnel are in the process of re-routing light vehicle traffic from Laramie to the I-80/WYO 210 (Happy Jack) junction. From there traffic will be required to exit onto eastbound WYO 210 to Cheyenne. However, all commercial vehicle traffic will not be allowed on the two lane roadway at this time.
It is currently unknown how long the Interstate will remain closed. When more information becomes available media outlets will be notified.
Eastbound Interstate 80 remains closed as the fire continues to burn and fire departments continue to poor water onto the now smoldering scene.
Wyoming Highway Patrol Troopers were dispatched to the crash and found when they arrived that one tractor trailer combination had rear ended a slower tractor trailer combination. Upon impact, the second tractor trailer caught fire and has been totally consumed.
The impact was severe enough that both van type trailers were breached and their load of empty dog food sacks and large rolls of possibly flooring covered the roadway.
Troopers working with WYDOT personnel are in the process of re-routing light vehicle traffic from Laramie to the I-80/WYO 210 (Happy Jack) junction. From there traffic will be required to exit onto eastbound WYO 210 to Cheyenne. However, all commercial vehicle traffic will not be allowed on the two lane roadway at this time.
It is currently unknown how long the Interstate will remain closed. When more information becomes available media outlets will be notified.