MEC&F Expert Engineers : SPARTANBURG COUNTY CORONER CONFIRMS 6 KILLED IN FIERY I-26 CRASH IN SC. DNA HAD TO BE OBTAINED TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIMS

Monday, March 23, 2015

SPARTANBURG COUNTY CORONER CONFIRMS 6 KILLED IN FIERY I-26 CRASH IN SC. DNA HAD TO BE OBTAINED TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIMS










MARCH 23, 2015

ENOREE, SC (FOX CAROLINA)

The Spartanburg County Coroner confirmed Monday that six people were killed in the fiery crash on I-26 in the Enoree area March 19.

Troopers with the SC Highway Patrol said the crash happened just before 10 p.m. near exit 41 on the westbound side of the interstate.

Troopers said a tractor-trailer, an SUV, two automobiles and a pedestrian were involved in the crash.

Coroner Rusty Clevenger said Monday that investigators could safely determine that six people had died.

“The wait was necessary because of the sheer force and fire complications in this incident,” Clevenger said.

Meanwhile the coroner was still working to identify the victims Monday.
The coroner's office said DNA samples of all victims had been sent and investigators were awaiting the results.

“We are utilizing out of state, South Carolina and military records for comparisons as well as out of state family members for D.N.A. comparisons,” Clevenger said.

Two other people were hospitalized with injuries, troopers said.

The Highway Patrol MAIT team is still working to determine how the crash happened.
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ENOREE, SC (FOX Carolina)

The Spartanburg County Coroner's Office is investigating a fiery collision involving a tractor trailer that claimed the lives of multiple victims Thursday night.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol reported the multi-vehicle crash near Exit 41 on the westbound side of Interstate 26 about 9:55 p.m.

On Friday morning all lanes on I-26 were reopened after being closed for almost ten hours.

Coroner Rusty Clevenger said he cannot give an exact number of deceased victims yet, but confirmed there were multiple fatalities. Two injured victims were transported to Spartanburg Regional following the crash.

Cpl. Bill Rhyne with the Highway Patrol said in addition to the tractor trailer, an SUV, two automobiles and a pedestrian were involved in the collision.

Highway Patrol's accident reconstruction team and the MAIT team are working to investigate the cause of the crash.

The coroner's office has not yet released the identities or number of victims in the crash because Clevenger said visual identification was impossible.