Officials have confirmed two were killed in a "mass casualty event" following a crash in the Green River Tunnel Friday.
The accident was reported in the Interstate 80 tunnel in Green River around 11:30 a.m. and multiple emergency crews were summoned to the scene as the incident evolved.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol told Fox13Now.com that the accident happened in the westbound lanes. The crash resulted in a fire that sent black smoke billowing from the tower.
Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jason Mower told the television station that many were able to evacuate from the tunnel shortly after the accident, before the fire grew.
"The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office is urging all travelers to avoid the I-80 tunnels near Green River due to a multivehicle pileup, active fire, and explosion threat," THE Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office shared on Facebook.
Law enforcement officials believe a truck carrying electric transformers were involved in the crash, which resulted in a serious fire. Tires on vehicles inside the tunnel exploded as the heat worsened.
The fire caused concrete to fall from the tunnel's structure and engineers were called in to evaluate the safety of the tunnel before committing additional resources to help with recovery efforts.
“Initial investigations show no sign of collapse in the westbound tunnel,” WYDOT Director Darin Westby told WSLNewsRadio.com. “I continue to keep those involved in the crash and the first responders on scene in my thoughts and prayers.”
The National Transportation Safety Board was called in to investigate the crash, NBC News reported.
