A devastating crash near Yellowstone National Park has left seven people dead and eight others injured after a fiery collision between a tour van and a pickup truck on a busy highway in eastern Idaho.
The fatal incident occurred Thursday evening around 7:15 p.m. local time, just 16 miles from the park’s entrance, according to Idaho State Police. A Chevy pickup truck and a van carrying 14 tourists collided head-on, causing both vehicles to erupt in flames. The truck driver and six van passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, which happened during Yellowstone’s peak travel season. The stretch of highway where the collision occurred is known for heavy traffic as it leads directly into the park… America’s oldest and most visited national park, spanning Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana.
Local resident Roger Merrill witnessed the aftermath and described a harrowing scene to CBS News. “Both vehicles were engulfed in flames. People on the side of the road were trying to help those who had survived,” he said. Merrill also noted the hazardous nature of the roadway, calling it “extremely busy and dangerous.”
Emergency responders shut down the highway for more than seven hours as they worked to treat survivors and remove debris. The names of the deceased will be released once their families have been notified, according to the local coroner’s office.
Yellowstone draws around four million visitors annually, with the majority traveling during the summer months. This tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the risks associated with travel on high-traffic tourist routes
