The highway is shut westbound and traffic is being diverted at Exit 3 in Warren County, Watch video
UPDATE: Interstate 78 West reopens after fatal crash, toll bridge commission says; expect delays
One person is dead and there may be other victims after a tractor-trailer crushed a passenger vehicle this morning at a toll booth on Interstate 78 West in Williams Township before catching fire, officials said.
The highway remained closed westbound at 11 a.m. and traffic was being diverted at Exit 3 in Warren County. It will likely be shut for hours for cleanup and the investigation, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission spokesman Joe Donnelly said.
Authorities haven't been able to see into the passenger vehicle, which ended up under the cab of the truck, to verify if there are any other victims, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said. The person who died was in the car, authorities said.
The hood of the car and its front tires were all that were visible in front of the truck.
The names the victim and the truck driver were not immediately released.
The truck driver, who Donnelly said was taken to a hospital, was speaking to police at 11 o'clock and being "cooperative," Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Robert Mahady, of the Belfast barracks, said. The truck driver wasn't badly hurt, authorities said.
The truck, which was hauling a ShopRite trailer, came into Lane 4 in the pay plaza and slammed into the rear of a passenger vehicle, which was stopped paying a toll, Mahady said. It is unclear at the moment how fast the truck was going, but after hitting the other vehicle they traveled about 200 feet before coming to a fiery stop on the side of the highway.
There were tolltakers in all the booths at the time of the crash and none was injured, Mahady said.
"It's a miracle, honestly," he said. The toll workers were "pretty shaken up," he added.
There was damage to the toll booth and a 200-foot debris field featuring pallets and groceries stretched to where the vehicles came to a rest.
Mahady said he couldn't confirm a bridge commission employee tried to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. Another official said the employee was taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
High-speed crashes in the toll area don't happen often, Mahady said.
"Fortunately it's extremely rare," he said. "Unfortunately, this happens to be extremely tragic."
The trooper praised the quick response of police, fire and other emergency and investigative personnel.
"This is a group effort, like you wouldn't believe," he said. "Everyone has been incredible."
Santina Stankevich, a spokeswoman for Wakefern Food Corporation of which ShopRite is a subsidiary, said the company extends their concern for the families of those involved. She said the truck driver has been transferred to an area hospital for treatment.
"We do not have any further details at this time but are cooperating with
officials. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the families of all involved in
this terrible accident," Stankevich said.