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BLISS, Idaho — A wrong-way crash involving three vehicles fully engulfed in flames killed one person and stopped traffic for 10 hours on an Idaho interstate early Thursday morning.
According to an Idaho State Police statement, an unidentified driver was driving the wrong direction eastbound on I-84 between Bliss and Wendell. Two semitruck drivers — one out of Amarillo, Texas, driving a Volvo semitruck in the left lane, and the other from West Valley, driving a Mack semitruck in the right lane, along with a passenger — each encountered the wrong-way driver at approximately 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
The unidentified driver struck both semis, causing all three vehicles to burst into flames. The wrong-way driver died from their injuries; it's unknown if that person died at the scene or was transported to an area hospital.
Neither of the two semitruck drivers nor the passenger was injured, and all remained on scene cooperating with the investigation, according to Idaho State Police Sgt. Michael Wenbler.
The Idaho Department of Transportation placed a detour from the eastbound lanes while the accident was cleared. The closure lasted approximately 10 hours.
Westbound lanes were blocked for an hour to allow traffic stuck behind the crash to exit the freeway.
Police have not yet released the identity of the person who died.
The crash is under investigation.
