Trapped woman's six haunting words to loved one after fatal fiery tunnel crash
Multiple vehicles collided in a horror tunnel crash in Wyoming on Friday morning, including a tractor, trailer and lorries - causing the structure to fill with smoke and kill two people
Multiple vehicles collided in a horror tunnel crash in Wyoming on Friday morning, including a tractor, trailer and lorries - causing the structure to fill with smoke and kill two peopleTwo people have died and several others are injured (
Image: Wyoming Department of Transportation)
Harrowing footage taken from inside the Wyoming tunnel crash - which sparked a ferocious fire and multiple explosions - captured one victim shrieking "I can't afford to lose you" in a frantic phone call to a loved-one.
Several vehicles collided in the Green River tunnel on Friday morning - including a tractor, trailer and multiple lorries - causing the structure to fill up with smoke and kill at least two people. Fire and rescue teams were then unable to gain access to the l-80 tunnel for hours after a semi-truck carrying transformers erupted in flames and exploded throughout the day after it was hit. Thick plumes of black smoke were seen pouring out of both ends of the tunnel as victims desperately tried to flee their vehicles.
The incident, labelled a "mass causality event" by nearby Memorial Hospital, has also sparked fears that the tunnel could give way at any moment, authorities told reporters. In harrowing footage taken in the aftermath of the "ugly crash", a woman inside the tunnel is heard crying out "I can't afford to lose you" as she frantically explains the situation to a loved-one over the phone.
Several vehicles collided in the tunnel (
Image:
Wyoming Department of Transportation/Facebook)
She then says: "Our trailor is on fire. Our trailor is on fire", before revealing she is trapped inside the tunnel. In the background, a man appears to be wailing in pain as others are captured running around frantically.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol later said: "The scene has been contained, and the tunnel has been evacuated. Additional details on injuries and fatalities will be released once available."
The source of the fire and subsequent explosions is thought to be a semi-truck that was filled with transformers. Sweetwater County Sheriffâs Office spokesman Jason Mower told Cowboy State Daily that the vehicle was involved in the crash, and the transformers caught fire and began exploding throughout the day.
The blasts reportedly rang out for hours with the intensity of the fires preventing rescue teams from entering the structure. âWe are containing the scene now because thereâs nothing else we can do, given the conditions inside the tunnel,â Mower added. âBoth the nature of the fire and now the structural integrity inside the tunnel itself.â
Wyoming Highway Patrol had confirmed two fatalities and at least seven people have been rushed to hospital. Geologists and bridge engineers are currently "assessing the tunnel infrastructure". State Senator John Kolb said the tunnel is likely to collapse. He added: "Itâs going to be pretty devastating for the area, most importantly for those folks that lost their lives."
David Brewer and his daughter Alyssa witnessed the horror unfold. David, from Kemmerer, Wyoming, said: "We heard and felt the huge explosions. They went on for 30 to 45 minutes." His daughter added: "They had EMTs and sheriffs running in with hospital bags because they couldnât get the ambulance through. It was very, very scary."
The complex rescue mission in Wyoming is ongoing and likely to take several hours.