automotive websites

UPDATE: Two I-74 Pile-Ups Involve forty Vehicles; Highway Reopens

UPDATE: Two I-74 Pile-Ups Involve forty Vehicles; Highway Reopens

By Mike Perleberg

The massive pile-up crash on Interstate seventy four westbound in St. Leon. Photo by Beverly Cochran.

Almost ten hours after a 40-vehicle pile up including passenger cars and semis shut it down, Interstate seventy four is fully reopened.

Indiana State Police said just before 8:00 p.m. that all east and westbound lanes have reopened at the one hundred sixty eight mile marker in West Harrison. All the vehicles were eliminated from the highway at around 7:00 p.m., but INDOT crews had to make repairs to the highway before it reopened. Salt trucks also treated the interstate before reopening it.

The large accident made a brief appearance on the NBC Nightly News on Tuesday.

I-74 eastbound has reopened at the 40-vehicle pile-up crash scene at the one hundred sixty eight mile marker in West Harrison, according to state police. The westbound lanes of the interstate remain closed as crews proceed to clean up the massive wreck.

The Indiana Department of Transportation is assessing any road harm that was done in the westbound lanes before the crash.

I-74 Eastbound is now open. Westbound still remains closed. EB motorists still need to drive cautiously due to slick catches sight of of I-74.

— Sgt. Stephen Wheeles (@ISPVersailles) January 12, 2016

Update published at Trio:57 p.m.: Indiana State Police Sgt. Stephen Wheeles says that six individuals were injured in the forty vehicle pile-up on I-74 in West Harrison. All six are believed to have non-life menacing injuries, and have been transported to area hospitals for treatment. Crews are continuing work to clean up the area. Sgt. Wheeles says that one-lane of eastbound traffic may re-open soon, but westbound traffic will remain closed for cleanup. Update published at 1:33 p.m.: Indiana State Police say there are two pile-up crashes at the one hundred sixty eight mile marker on I-74 in West Harrison. The two accidents involve a total of forty vehicles over a half-mile open up , according to ISP Sgt. Stephen Wheeles. Traffic is being diverted off of I-74 eastbound at the St. Leon/State Road one exit in Dearborn County. All the extra traffic is causing a long backup on SR one southbound in Greendale. I-74 is also shut down going westbound from Exit one at Fresh Haven Road in Harrison. Update published at 12:32 p.m.: Indiana State Police Sgt. Stephen Wheeles says that close to thirty vehicles may have been involved in the pileup on I-74 in West Harrison. Cleanup of the crash is expected to last into Tuesday night, possibly even into Wednesday. More than two dozen people who were involved in the crash and were not injured were transported by school buses to Shelton Fireworks warehouse at exit 169, the store manager said. Very first responders had school buses transport the people there so that they could stay sheltered from the cold weather.

Close to thirty vehicles involved in I-74 crash pic.twitter.com/4xVICrMHxc — Sgt. Stephen Wheeles (@ISPVersailles) January 12, 2016

Movie: Pileup shuts down I-74 near Ohio-Indiana border. (Credit: Rob M.) pic.twitter.com/8KqAIRumKY — FOX19 (@FOX19) January 12, 2016

Dearborn County Sheriff’s Department public information officer advises that numerous fire departments and EMS squads are responding to the pile-up accident on Interstate seventy four at the one hundred sixty eight mile marker. Four large wreckers are also being requested to help eliminate semis involved in the pileup.

The assistance of the American Crimson Cross is also being requested to help shelter motorists who evacuated their vehicles in the crunch.

The interstate is closed inbetween the St. Leon, Indiana and Harrison, Ohio exits until further notice.

(Dearborn County, Ind.) – Interstate seventy four in West Harrison is closed due to what authorities are referring to as a large pile-up accident.

Numerous slide-off accidents have been occurring via Dearborn County Tuesday morning due to snow and below freezing temperatures causing slick roadways.

The bridge on Interstate seventy four over the Whitewater Sea in West Harrison has been closed due to a pile-up accident involving numerous vehicles and jackknifed semis that occurred around Ten:30 a.m. as a snow squall blew through. One caller from the area said visibility was diminished to a quarter-mile.

Dispatchers say injuries are involved. Emergency communications indicated that one person was hit by debris from a collision as he was standing outside his vehicle involved in the pile-up. Several people are reportedly trapped in their vehicles.

Dearborn County police are requesting assistance from Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies at the crash scene.

Authorities from both Indiana and Ohio are working to close Interstate seventy four inbetween St. Leon and Harrison. Indiana State Police are advising all motorists to seek an alternate route.

The I-74 bridge over the Whitewater Sea is a common problem area in winter weather.

Large crash on I-74 in Dearborn County. Interstate may be closed in both directions for hours. — Sgt. Stephen Wheeles (@ISPVersailles) January 12, 2016

Crash in Dearborn involves numerous jackknifed semis and other vehicles — Sgt. Stephen Wheeles (@ISPVersailles) January 12, 2016

Related movie:

---