On Thursday evening, a pickup truck and a tour van collided on a highway leading to Yellowstone National Park in Idaho, resulting in the deaths of seven people and injuries to eight others.
The authorities disclosed that the accident occurred close to 7:15 p.m. near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) west of Yellowstone National Park.
No explanation for the cause of the crash has been provided by the officials.
According to a press release from the Idaho State Police, both vehicles caught fire. The accident claimed the lives of the pickup truck driver and six individuals on the tour van. Aaron Snell, a spokesperson for the police department, mentioned that the van was carrying a tour group of 14 people, with the surviving passengers sustaining injuries and being taken to hospitals.
Following the incident, air rescue helicopters and emergency responders rushed to the scene for rescue operations. The accident is currently under investigation.
As of Friday morning, the Fremont County Coroner’s Office in Idaho had not released the names of the deceased. The Idaho State Police mentioned that efforts are still ongoing to notify the families of the casualties, hence information regarding the individuals involved – such as names, ages, hometowns, or nationalities – has not been made public.
Roger Merrill, a 60-year-old eyewitness to the accident, recalled seeing the flames engulfing the two collided vehicles as he was driving home. He noticed bystanders at the roadside trying to assist the survivors from the tour van. Merrill noted that tour vans are a common sight on this road leading to Yellowstone National Park.
He remarked, “It’s a very dangerous road because it’s the main entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The road is very busy.”
Merrill captured a video at the scene of the accident, showing thick smoke enveloping the tour van. He expressed his anxious anticipation for the arrival of rescue personnel, who took a long time to reach the remote location.
Idaho’s Transportation Department has confirmed plans to enhance the safety of this road to reduce the severity of accidents, although the project is still in the research and planning phase. The agency reported that in 2023, an average of about 10,500 vehicles traveled on this highway daily.
(This article is based on reports from the Associated Press)