KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A crash involving multiple vehicles shut down one side of Interstate 40 for more than an hour on Friday evening.
The accident took place just after 5:00 p.m. at mile marker 396 near the Oglesby Road overpass.
Eastbound lanes were completely shut down as a result. Both lanes reopened around 6:30 p.m.
Investigators said a van traveling westbound crossed
the median and entered into the eastbound lane and struck a GMC SUV.
Witnesses who
stopped to assist were able to pull the driver of the van out of the vehicle as
it caught on fire.
One ambulance was sent to the scene, but four more had to be called to the scene later. Lifestar was also called.
One child was transported as an emergency via LifeStar and three others were taken as an emergency via ambulance. A fifth person was transported for non-life-threatening injuries.
All patients were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
The westbound traffic also experienced delays because of rubbernecking.
Police diverted traffic onto Asheville Highway while the lanes remained closed.
Asheville Highway also experienced heavy backups because of traffic that was diverted from the interstate.
The Knoxville Police
Department reconstruction team responded to the scene and said they will be conducting
all follow-up investigations into why and how the crash occurred.
One ambulance leaves the scene.
Asheville Highway also experienced heavy backups because of traffic that was diverted from the interstate.
