State Police Investigate Multiple

Vehicle Crash on I-95 in East Lyme

East Lyme – Today, 11/02/07, at 10:19 a.m., Connecticut State Police at Troop E in Montville received several 911 calls reporting a serious multiple vehicle crash on I-95 in both directions. State Police Troopers, EMS and Fire Service were all dispatched to the scene.

Upon arrival, immediate attempts were made to provide emergency care to all involved. Three people suffering from multiple injures were transported by EMS to area hospitals. In addition three people were pronounced dead at the scene by responding EMS personnel.

Several area fire departments also responded to assist at the crash scene. Fire Service observed a portion of the fuel aboard had spilled from one involved tanker truck. 
         An immediate traffic diversion was implemented by State Police.  DOT responded to assist in the diverting of traffic off I-95 around the accident scene. DEP was notified to respond to this scene to coordinate the securing and clean up of the fuel spill which was estimated to be 8,500 gallons of diesel fuel.

State Police have secured the crash scene and additional State Police investigative Specialists responded to assist in this crash investigation. 

State Police Accident Reconstruction Team Investigators responded to work with accident investigators. In addition, the State Police Truck Squad Investigation Enforcement Team responded to examine the involved trucks and participate in this investigation.  The Eastern District Major Crime Squad Detectives also responded to assist in the collection of evidence and documentation of the accident scene.

Witnesses provided preliminary information to State Police investigators that the tanker truck was traveling northbound in the left lane when the operator lost control, ran off the road into the median guardrail, and penetrated the guardrail, traveling into the southbound lanes and impacting southbound traffic, which consisted of one tractor trailer truck and 4 passenger cars.

State Police investigators anticipate that I-95 will be closed for several hours to allow for the investigation to take pace and for the clean up of the spilled fuel.

The identity of all people involved in this crash is being withheld by State Police pending notification of next of kin. 

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Lt. J. Paul Vance