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4 dead, 17 hospitalized after truck hits cars stopped for work on I-96

Online Niel November 3, 2024

Four people were killed and scores injured after a semi-trailer plowed into several cars near a construction site on Saturday, causing the truck and several other vehicles to burst into flames.

About 15 vehicles were involved in the crash on Interstate 96 near the M-52 overpass, including the truck, according to a tweet from the Michigan State Police Lansing station. Seventeen occupants of the vehicle were taken to UM Sparrow Hospital and McLaren Hospital in Lansing for serious injuries, police said.

Police said around 11:42 p.m., Saturday, Consumers Energy workers were working on a project to align power lines across the expressway.

The project involved shutting down the highway for a short period of time. Troopers had just completed a stop on westbound I-96 at the M-52 overpass and reopened the highway, but numerous vehicles were still stopped when the incident occurred.

Police said a semi was traveling westbound on the highway and the truck driver did not see the stand and was unable to stop his vehicle in time. The truck was in the left lane and struck numerous vehicles.

Police said eastbound and westbound I-96 were closed while they investigated the crash, and the Michigan Department of Transportation will inspect the structural damage to the M-52 overpass.

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