UPDATED 1:30 PM EDT Sep 02, 2016
CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. —A fiery crash that shut down Interstate 77 in Chester County on Thursday killed two people, including the tractor-trailer driver who caused the crash, South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers said.
Troopers said the wreck was reported just before 3:30 p.m. on I-77 at mile marker 68.
The driver of a 2007 International tractor-trailer and an 82-year-old passenger in one of the vehicles were killed in the crash, troopers said.
The names of the two victims were still not released as of 1 p.m. Friday as the coroner's office worked to identify them.
Eleven people, including a 2-year-old, a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old were taken by helicopter and ambulance to a nearby hospital. Some had life-threatening injuries, highway patrol said.
Troopers said four of the vehicles involved were headed north on the interstate at a low speed because of traffic congestion.
The International tractor-trailer driver rear-ended a vehicle causing a chain-reaction, troopers said.
The tractor-trailer driver then crossed the median, hitting another tractor-trailer headed south, according to troopers.
Both tractor-trailers caught fire, troopers said.
The interstate was closed in both directions for several hours. All lanes were reopened by 11 p.m.
A passing motorist, Gregory K. Barefoot, of Union County, took photos of the fiery wreck, sharing them on Ulocal and posting to his Facebook page.
Fiery head-on I-77 collision in SC that killed 2 and injured 11 was caused by speeding or reckless 2007 International tractor-trailer driver who also died in the crash. He will not do that again.
