Story Published:
Oct 8, 2008 at 12:20 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Oct 8, 2008 at 5:33 PM CDT
JOPLIN, Mo. -- Three separate chain-reaction fiery crashes in the fog involved 10 semi trucks, four passenger cars and two pickups on Wednesday morning. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said two people died and seven others were injured.
A trooper said the injuries are critical and serious but he expects those people to survive. Some of the injured people are in hospitals in Joplin and others are in hospitals in Springfield.
The crash near mile marker 14 on Interstate 44 east of Joplin stopped traffic in both lanes just after 7 a.m. By noon, the westbound lanes were moving and troopers hoped to have the eastbound lanes opened by early afternoon. That turned out to be wrong, however, because damage to the highway from the fires and the crashes is worse than feared, and repairs may be necessary.
Traffic was detoured on Missouri 249 to Duenweg and then Missouri 66 (Business Route 44).
