Nine killed in Wisconsin highway collision of truck and passenger van

Sole survivor of collision was taken to hospital

A highway collision of a truck and a van in Wisconsin on Friday has left nine people dead with only one survivor, officials said.

The crash between a passenger van and a tractor-trailer truck was reported at 7:53 am local time in Wisconsin’s Dewhurst Township on state highway 95, which is about 322 km (200 miles) northwest of the state’s largest city of Milwaukee.

There were nine people in the van, of whom eight, including the driver, died at the scene, Clark County Sheriff’s office said in a post on Facebook.

One person in the truck, the driver, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The sole survivor of the collision, a passenger from the van, was taken to hospital due to their injuries.

Preliminary reports from the sheriff’s office say the van travelling northbound, entered an intersection, and was struck by the semi traveling eastbound.

Officials told local news that none of the victims were from the area and were passing through.

“The investigation is still ongoing at this time,” the sheriff’s office said.

Wisconsin governor Tony Evers said he and his wife were saddened by the tragic crash.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of all those involved, as well as the first responders who worked quickly to provide support at the scene,” Mr Evers said.

The names of the dead have not been released yet pending notification of family members.

Image from video provided by KMSP-TV shows the scene of a fatal crash, Friday, March 8, 2024 in Dewhurst, Wis. Multiple people were killed in a western Wisconsin traffic crash involving a semitruck and a van (KMSP-TV via AP)

Photos of the accident site revealed severe damage to both vehicles involved in the crash.

The van can be seen crumpled on its side appearing charred from a fire, and the truck’s front seems severely damaged.

With nine dead, this is the second-deadliest crash in Wisconsin history, according to the state’s Department of Transportation.

The worst vehicle collision in the state’s history occurred in 2002 on a foggy day when 10 people died in a 45-vehicle pileup.