At least four dead in crash, I-70 WB closed near 174th Street on Kansas Turnpike

Posted 2:55 pm, July 11, 2017, by and , Updated at 06:33PM, July 11, 2017
This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. -- Emergency crews are at the scene of a substantial semi-truck fire and crash Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 70 near 174th Street. FOX 4's Shannon O'Brien reports that at least four people died in the crash, and the driver of a semi was hospitalized. There were six vehicles involved, including two tractor-trailers.

One semi driver reportedly hit a vehicle that caused a chain reaction in the westbound lanes, and set off the fire. Those lanes are still closed, but the eastbound lanes have reopened:

Westbound drivers are to exit K7 to Highway 24 or 32 to Lawrence. Authorities had said that the lanes may be closed overnight, and now estimate that they could reopen in four to five hours.

FOX 4 is continuing to follow developments with this story, and will post the latest updates as we confirm more information.