[Current traffic condition and photos below.] Two people were killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the New York State Thruway in Suffern Friday morning.
It happened around 9:47 a.m. on the southbound side of the thruway near Exit 14B for Airmont Road.
Police said the crash involved one tractor-trailer, two box trucks and another vehicle.
The accident was caused when one of the box trucks, which had been traveling northbound, crossed the median and entered the southbound traffic
lanes, police said.
“It was a head-on between two trucks,” said state police Lt. Lawrence Muller.
Lt. Muller said the truck was trying to pass slower traffic when the crash occurred, WCBS 880’s Levon Putney reported.
“And when he attempted to merge back into traffic from the right lane back into the middle lane, he lost control of the vehicle and he ended up going across the guide rail and struck a tractor-trailer that was traveling southbound,” he said.
The two people inside the box truck were killed, Putney reported. The driver of the tractor-trailer and the driver of another box truck were injured.
Following the crash, truck parts could be seen littering the roadway, CBS2’s Lou Young reported.
The box truck that bore the brunt of the crash was smashed in the front and laying on its side in the middle of the southbound lanes with mattresses dangling out.
Hours after the accident, all southbound lanes remained closed and traffic is being diverted at Exit 15 to Route 17 South. [CBS LOCAL]
The New York State Police issued the following statement on the accident:
At approximately 9:47 a.m., State Police responded to investigate a multi-vehicle fatal collision involving one tractor-trailer, two box trucks, and one addition vehicle on I-87 at Exit 14B (Airmont Road). Both the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU) and Collision Reconstruction Unit are en route to the scene. Emergency workers are at the scene, including ambulances, fire trucks and police. Preliminary investigation revealed one of the vehicles was traveling northbound, crossed over into southbound traffic causing the collision. Drivers should expect extensive delays in the area. Traffic is being diverted at Exit 15. The accident is still under investigation.
For current traffic conditions, click here.
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