Officials: Injuries reported after icy crash involving 6 semis on I-80 in Nevada
The collisions caused significant traffic delays along the eastbound side of the highway, stretching into California.
Six tractor trailers and at least one car were involved in collisions on Interstate 80 in Verdi, Nevada, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022. (Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue via AP)
At least two people were injured in a multi-vehicle crash early Wednesday morning that involved six tractor-trailer trucks and at least one car as light snow coated a stretch of Interstate 80 in Nevada near the California border, causing "icy conditions," emergency officials said.
Nevada State Police reported that the two people hurt in the crash in the eastbound lanes of I-80 in Verdi, Nevada, near Gold Ranch, suffered minor injuries. Verdi is located near the Nevada-California border and is located about 10 miles west of Reno.
The collision shut down a portion of I-80 and caused significant traffic back-ups stretching into California. Emergency officials detoured traffic and cautioned motorists to avoid the highway for several hours. Lengthy delays lasted throughout the morning as emergency crews worked to clear the accident scene until the highway reopened by 2 p.m. PDT.
Authorities did not say what caused the collisions, but Truckee Meadows fire officials said that particular section of I-80 had a light dusting of snow on the pavement and was slick when the crash occurred around 5:45 a.m. PDT. Another crash occurred several miles east along I-80 just before sunrise around 7:20 a.m. PDT, according to authorities. It was unclear if anyone was injured.
Temperatures in the area were hovering around the freezing mark at the time of the crashes, according to the National Weather Service. A Nevada Department of Transportation weather station at Gold Ranch recorded 30 degrees around 6 a.m. local time
"There was a strong cold front that moved in yesterday afternoon into the evening that brought bursts of heavy snow," said David Houk, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. "Areas of lighter snow lingered overnight into this morning with subfreezing temperatures that resulted in slick conditions, including areas of ice as wet areas froze solid."
Six tractor trailers and at least one car were involved in collisions on Interstate 80 in Verdi, Nevada, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022. (Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue via AP)
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