Seven people have died after a tour van and pickup truck collided near Yellowstone National Park, according to Idaho State Police.
A tragic accident occurred Thursday night on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry’s Lake State Park, situated about 16 miles west of Yellowstone in Wyoming, eastern Idaho.
“Around 7:15 p.m., troopers from the Idaho State Police responded to a crash at milepost 399. The accident involved a Dodge Ram pickup and a Mercedes passenger van. There were 14 people in the van and only the driver in the pickup. Sadly, six passengers from the van and the driver of the pickup lost their lives in the incident,” stated Idaho State Police.
“The van was being used as a tour vehicle. Due to the scale of the tragedy and the ongoing efforts to inform the families, no details about names, ages, hometowns, or nationalities have been disclosed yet. The Fremont County Coroner’s Office will release this information when it becomes available,” the statement added.
Rescue workers arrive to the scene after a deadly collision between a pickup truck and tour van near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho on Thursday, May 1. (Roger Merrill via AP)
The cause of the crash remains under investigation Friday.
Roger Merrill, 60, told the Associated Press he was driving home when he saw the flames engulfing the two vehicles as bystanders tried to care for survivors from the van on the side of the highway. Merrill said he often sees tourist vans on the highway that leads to Yellowstone National Park.
The aftermath of the crash between a tour van and pickup truck along U.S. Highway 20 near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho on Thursday, May 1. (Roger Merrill/TMX)
Due to the remote location, Merrill said he anxiously awaited the help of first responders.
“It took an unnervingly long time for help to arrive just because of the location,” he said.
The crash in eastern Idaho on Thursday left seven people dead, according to Idaho State Police. (Roger Merrill/TMX)
“U.S. Highway 20 was fully closed for nearly seven hours while emergency responders and the Idaho Transportation Department worked to manage the scene and clear the roadway. The road is open for regular traffic,” Idaho State Police said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
