HIGHLAND, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
We're learning more details about the deadly chain reaction crash involving five big rigs that left two people dead. A witness tells us the impact was so great that he could feel the ground shake in his car. It all started shortly before 7:00am Monday. The first crash happened when a big rig hit an overpass and lost its load, spilling seafood all over the freeway. As traffic was jammed from that incident, a big rig didn't stop in time and slammed into another semi, starting a four vehicle chain reaction crash.The big rig that didn't stop caught on fire. Two men from Indiana who were inside were killed.
A third crash happened on I-70 east between a motorcycle and yet another big rig.
I-70 west was shut down for some nine hours - frustrated drivers just stuck.
We talked with Ben Stroyer from Vandalia, Illinois. He was just in front of the deadly chain reaction crash.
He snapped a picture of the smoke rising along with other photos of the wreckage.
Stroyer talked about the impact of the crash and rushing to try and help, "I heard this boom and it felt like, I could feed a percussion or something. So I knew something had happened, somebody hit somebody - it was so hot. The fire was so hot and the smoke was just rolling out, that you just couldn't get close to it. I really wanted to do what I could to help the victims inside, but I knew it was too late," said Stroyer.
Laura Betts was among the drivers in the massive traffic jam, "You're just sitting. You're not moving. 10 minutes, and then you move. Then you stop again for 10 minutes. It's about 10 miles back."
The two men killed were both from Indiana.
Nobody else was seriously hurt.
Stroyer says he's going to be more careful driving on interstates than ever after this latest crash and the tragic freeway crashes from last week.
