Four Dead, 17 Injured in Fiery Michigan Interstate Crash Involving Semi-Truck
A tragic accident occurred late Saturday night on Michigan’s Interstate 96 when a semitractor-trailer collided with a line of vehicles that had slowed due to traffic controls, resulting in four fatalities and injuring 17 others, according to Michigan State Police.
The incident took place near the westbound lanes of I-96 at the intersection with M-52. Troopers were stationed along the interstate to manage traffic while power lines were being installed across the roadway by Consumers Energy. This project required a temporary halt of westbound traffic, causing multiple cars to stop.
As vehicles resumed movement, the semi-truck, traveling in the left lane, reportedly failed to notice the slowed traffic ahead and could not stop in time, crashing into several cars. “The semi-truck driver appeared unaware of the backup and was unable to bring the vehicle to a stop,” stated police officials. The impact ignited the truck and over a dozen other vehicles, sparking a large fire on the expressway.
Seventeen people sustained serious injuries and were taken to nearby UM Sparrow Hospital and McLaren Hospital in Lansing for medical care, police said. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and authorities are assessing safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
