Illinois State Police and firefighter/paramedics from Ottawa responded about 9:24 a.m. Friday, September 25, 2020 to a report of a crash with injuries and entrapment and multiple vehicles on fire on I-80 westbound near Mile Marker 86. One of the vehicles was transporting batteries with batteries exploding in the fire. A van was on fire and an automotive delivery vehicle was on fire with the car batteries exploding. There was a report that a camper was also involved in the crash.
Firefighter/paramedics were working at the scene extinguishing vehicle fires, extricating and treating injured victims.
Early report indicates one fatality at the scene with the LaSalle County Coroner responding to the scene.
A MABAS Division 25 Box Alarm #600 to a Second Alarm was activated at 9:36 a.m.
Firefighters from Wallace, Marseilles, Grand Ridge, Serena, Utica, and Sheridan assisted Ottawa firefighters.
The MABAS Box Alarm was struck out at 10:18 a.m.
Traffic was backed up in both directions, and I-80 West was completely blocked. Three westbound backups existed — one for the traffic already committed to I-80 west of Route 23, one for traffic being diverted off of I-80 to Route 23, and one for traffic diverted to Route 71. Much of the diverted traffic was using US Route 6.
The information in this article is an early report published before any summary information was confirmed or released by police or fire authorities.
DEVELOPING IF CONTENT IS AVAILABLE …
Westbound I-80 traffic is backed up at least 7 miles east of Ottawa: pic.twitter.com/VZ67gF97Wz
— IDOT_Illinois (@IDOT_Illinois) September 25, 2020
La Salle County: A multi-vehicle crash and fire is blocking all lanes of westbound Interstate 80 at milepost 85, west of Ottawa. Traffic is being detoured at Illinois 71 (exit 93). pic.twitter.com/CvHyxEAzda
— IDOT_Illinois (@IDOT_Illinois) September 25, 2020
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