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POCATELLO — Authorities said I-15 north and southbound lanes were closed down to one lane of traffic near Pocatello Thursday afternoon after multiple accidents resulting from a crash involving a semi-truck transporting bees.
The Pocatello Police Department and Idaho State Police reported multiple accidents in the southbound lane toward Chubbock near the off-ramp at Pocatello Creek Road. Police said the vehicle overturned and released many of the bees causing problems with traffic.
About 15 minutes after the semitruck crash, there was reportedly another crash on I-15 near the Pocatello 5th Ave. exit involving a motorcycle, according to the Idaho State Journal.
There was an additional crash in the area at 2:15 p.m. on the northbound side of I-15 about two miles north of Pocatello and the bee crash. This crash involved a tanker semi and a car. The car rolled and is on its top and one of the tankers on the semi also rolled.
Pocatello Police spokeswoman Dianne Brush said the bee swarms were moving in a northwestern direction. North Pocatello residents were asked to stay indoors and to keep windows closed due to swarming bees.
Drivers were asked to avoid the area for the afternoon, and if they had to drive through the area, police advise commuters to keep their windows rolled up.
All lanes have since opened at the southbound crash. The right lane is currently blocked at the northbound crash.
Emergency crews are expected to be on the scene for an extended period of time working to clear the crashes.
This crash came two months after a semi-truck crash on Highway 33 near Howe where over 20 million bees spilled onto the highway.
