‘Multiple fatalities’ reported following chain-reaction crash in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin State Patrol is asking drivers to plan an alternate route after a serious chain reaction crash occurred in Columbia County.

According to Wisconsin State troopers, the series of crashes began just before 4 a.m on Friday morning on I-90/94/39 at WIS 60 near Lodi when two semi trucks were involved in a rear end crash.

Just after 5 a.m., troopers say that a straight truck crashed into the previous crash site.

In this crash, a Columbia County Highway worker suffered serious injuries. Two state troopers were also seriously injured but both are expected to survive. All three people were transported to the hospital.

At 6:45 a.m., another crash occurred on northbound I-90/94/39 in the traffic backup caused by the previous crashes. Troopers describe this crash as “a major, multi-vehicle crash [that] occurred along the northbound interstate near County K resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. A semi-tractor traveling at highway speeds created a chain-reaction crash involving at least seven vehicles – two semi-tractor trailers, a dump truck and four passenger vehicles.”

It isn’t clear at this time how many people were killed in the crash.

Troopers say that northbound I-90/94/39 is closed at exit 131 for the next several hours for cleanup and investigation of the serious crashes. Traffic is being rerouted onto US 51 north. Drivers are asked to avoid the area.