Authorities are still working to piece together the chain of events that led to a fiery crash on Interstate 41/94 on Wednesday that left two semi-truck drivers dead and two other motorists with serious injuries.
In a press, police began to lay out the timeline of what transpired on the Racine County highway. Authorities say that 11 a.m., multiple 911 calls were received from motorists reporting a fire and explosions on the interstate highway.
A preliminary investigation revealed that a semi-trailer was traveling southbound on the highway when it attempted to make a lane change, striking a construction barrier. The driver then tried to over-correct after the collision, and ultimately slammed into the median wall dividing the north and southbound traffic on the highway.
That impact pushed the median wall into the northbound lanes of traffic, and three cars crashed into that wall, according to authorities. A semi-trailer, also traveling northbound, tried to avoid the crash by turning toward the east side of the highway, but ultimately ran into a ditch and slid down a hill, landing upside down near a frontage road.
Both semi-trailers burst into flames from the impacts, according to police, and both drivers were killed.
Two drivers of passenger vehicles were taken to area hospitals with serious injuries after crashing into the median wall, and a third driver was able to walk away unharmed from the crash.
Local
Police say that neither semi driver has been identified, and notification of family is pending.
The roadway is likely to remain closed through Wednesday evening as clean-up efforts and a crash investigation continue.
