After seven hours, I-86 re-opens. Here’s what police say caused the crash involving 30 vehicles

Courtesy Idaho States Police

UPDATE

The following is an update from Idaho State Police:

Idaho State Police are investigating a multi-vehicle collision which occurred on Monday at approximately 8:00 a.m. on eastbound Interstate 86 near mile post 56, west of Pocatello.

A thick layer of fog covered the interstate causing limited visibility in a short amount of time. Due to the fog, vehicles slowed down suddenly. Commercial and personal vehicles collided with one another causing a chain reaction of approximately thirty vehicles.

Minor injuries were reported with one person being transported to a local hospital via ground ambulance, and several others transported by personal vehicles.

Interstate 86 was blocked for approximately seven hours to allow emergency personnel and tow trucks to assist those involved and clear the scene.

This incident remains under investigation by the Idaho State police.

ORIGINAL STORY

POCATELLO — Multiple people were injured in a crash involving dozens of vehicles Monday morning on Interstate 86 near Pocatello.

The wreck happened around 8 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the freeway near the Pocatello Regional Airport.

Idaho State Police Lt. Michael Winans tells EastIdahoNews.com over 30 cars and semi-trucks were involved in the crash.

Despite the magnitude, officials says nobody was killed. A few people were taken to the hospital by ambulance or personal vehicles with minor injuries, according to an ISP news release.

“Thank goodness. We deal with a lot of deaths out here so it’s nice when we go to a crash this big to have no fatalities,” Winans says.

Troopers inspected each vehicle to check on the status of each driver and passengers.

A number of cars and trucks appeared to the completely destroyed. For most of the day, eastbound traffic on I-86 was diverted off the freeway at exit 56 on East County Road.

ISP has determined fog and decreased visibility was a major contributing factor in the crash. Personal and commercial vehicles ran into each other causing a chain reaction.

“Motorists should be aware that we have banks of fog rolling in and they need to drive according to the conditions,” Winans says.

He also asked people driving through the area to focus on the road and not pull their phones out to take photos or videos of the scene.

Traffic on I-86 was blocked between exit 56 and exit 59 for approximately seven hours, allowing for emergency responders and tow trucks to assist those involved and clear the scene.

EastIdahoNews.com reporter Logan Ramsey reports from the scene of the crash in the video player above. | Photo courtesy Benjamin Hadfield