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- 7 killed in fiery crash between tour van, pickup truck near Yellowstone National Park (abcnews.go.com)
Tragic Multi-Vehicle Crash Near Yellowstone Claims Seven Lives
A devastating collision between a tour van and a pickup truck on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry’s Lake, Idaho, has resulted in seven fatalities.
The accident occurred around 7:15 p.m. Thursday, leaving a scene of destruction and claiming the lives of six foreign nationals traveling in the van and the driver of the pickup truck.
Fourteen people were in the Mercedes passenger van, which was headed eastbound toward Yellowstone National Park. The Dodge Ram pickup truck was traveling westbound. According to Idaho State Police, the two vehicles collided head-on.
The Fremont County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased truck driver as 25-year-old Isaih Moreno of Humble, Texas. The identities of the six passengers in the van have not yet been released pending notification of their families. Authorities acknowledge the complexity of the situation and expect identification and notification processes to take time.
A local resident, Roger Merrill, witnessed the immediate aftermath of the crash. He described the damage to both vehicles as “catastrophic” and noted that several Good Samaritans were already on the scene attempting to assist.
Merrill observed steam coming from the pickup truck, which eventually ignited despite the efforts of first responders. Within minutes, both vehicles were engulfed in flames.
All individuals involved in the crash were transported to area hospitals. Three were airlifted, while others were transported via ground ambulance with injuries initially believed to be non-life-threatening.
Two survivors remain hospitalized in stable condition at Madison Memorial Hospital, while three others have been treated and released. Two additional patients were transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Idaho State Police. U.S.
Highway 20 was closed for approximately seven hours following the incident and has since reopened. Henry’s Lake is located approximately 17 miles from the entrance to Yellowstone National Park.