Two Wyomingites died in Friday’s massive pileup and fire inside the Green River Tunnel on westbound I-80.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol and Sweetwater County Coroner on Monday released the identities of the three people killed in the disaster, which involved 26 vehicles and caused extensive damage to the tunnel. They are:
- Christopher Johnson, 20, of Rawlins.
- Quentin Romero, 22, of Rawlins.
- Harmanjeet Singh, 30, of Nova Scotia, Canada.
Another 18 people suffered injuries and received treatment at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County in nearby Rock Springs, the patrol reported. The agency did not disclose further information about injuries.
The crash sparked a fire that burned for hours inside the westbound tunnel, charring the walls and damaging lighting and other electrical equipment. Heavy smoke poured from the tunnel, and falling debris stymied rescue efforts.
The highway patrol and National Transportation Safety Board are now conducting parallel investigations into the cause of the deadly wreck.
“Due to complexities in this crash, off-scene investigations and crash reconstructions conducted by WHP are expected to take quite some time,” highway patrol Col. Tim Cameron said in a statement. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we examine all the evidence and work toward developing a crash narrative and cause that is as accurate as possible.”
Views inside
On Monday, the state released drone footage from inside the tunnel taken sometime after the fire subsided. A light from the drone illuminates several burnt-out vehicles, some destroyed beyond recognition. Two semi-trucks can be seen, including one with a buckled trailer. Smoke still rises from some vehicles.
The drone turns toward the ceiling, where damaged and deformed equipment hangs from the top of the tunnel. As the video ends, firefighters with flashlights can be seen.
Other videos on social media show what appears to be the moments immediately after the wreck. In one, a trucker kicks out the windshield of a vehicle as people can be heard screaming in the background (viewer discretion advised).
“So this happened coming through a fucking tunnel,” the trucker says. “I’m in a wreck, this is fucking bad. Oh, the truck is on fire. I have to get out of here.”
Authorities have also disclosed that an off-duty highway patrol trooper was involved in the wreck. The trooper was not hurt and attempted to help people evacuate from the tunnel, according to WYDOT.
Partial reopening Thursday
The crash forced the closure of both the eastbound and westbound tunnels, with highway traffic being rerouted through Green River. The tunnels are each about 1,200-feet long and have been in operation since 1966, according to WYDOT.
Engineers performed an assessment of the eastbound tunnel, which was not involved in the wreck or subsequent fire, on Friday night. They found no anomalies, WYDOT Bridge Inspector Randy Ringstmeyer said at a Saturday press conference in Green River.
The agency plans to use the eastbound tunnel for both directions of traffic until repairs can be performed on the westbound structure. As of Monday afternoon, contractor DeBernardi Construction has placed about 3,000 feet of barriers to guide traffic, with another 2,000 feet expected to be completed by day’s end. WYDOT now expects to send two-way traffic through the eastbound tunnel starting Thursday.
Even with that fix, there will be delays. Normally, the tunnel’s speed limit is 65, but will be set at 35 mph for head-to-head traffic. Certain oversized vehicles will be restricted from using the tunnel.
Meanwhile, WYDOT is seeking contractors to clean debris from the westbound tunnel, which it called the “first step in the long process” of repairing it. State engineers found no issues with the integrity of the rock surrounding the tunnel, but the concrete lining was damaged by the disaster and must now be examined for any safety issues, Ringstmeyer told reporters.
“It is imperative that folks stay away from the westbound tunnel for their safety,” Cameron said in a statement. “Between the debris that could still fall and serious concerns about the air quality in the tunnel, it’s too dangerous for anyone without proper protective equipment and training to be in the area. We do not want to add any more injuries as a result of this horrible event.”
The post Two Wyomingites among fatalities of I-80 Green River Tunnel disaster appeared first on WyoFile .