Seven people confirmed dead following a tour van and pickup truck collided near Yellowstone National Park, Idoha State Police say.
The accident ocurred Thursday night on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho, located about 16 miles west of Yellowstone in Wyoming.
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“At approximately 7:15 p.m., ISP troopers responded to the collision at milepost 399. The crash involved a Dodge Ram pickup and a Mercedes passenger van. There were 14 occupants in the van and one occupant, the driver, in the pickup. Tragically, six individuals in the van and the driver of the pickup died as a result of the crash,” Idaho State Police said.
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“The van was operating as a tour vehicle. Due to the magnitude of the incident and the ongoing process of notifying the next of kin, no names, ages, hometowns, or nationalities have been released. Once available, the Fremont County Coroner’s Office will provide information,” it continued.
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The crash’s cause is still being investigated as of Friday. Roger Merrill, 60, told the Associated Press that he was heading home when he noticed flames engulfing the two vehicles as spectators attempted to care for survivors from a van on the side of the roadway. Merrill said he frequently sees tourist vans on the roadway leading to Yellowstone National Park.
Merrill stated he was eagerly awaiting the assistance of first responders due of his distant position. “It took an unnervingly long time for help to arrive just because of the location,” stated the witness. “U.S. Highway 20 was completely stopped for about seven hours while emergency personnel and the Idaho Transportation Department worked to handle the situation and clear the roadway. “The road is open for regular traffic,” Idaho State Police stated.
