9 dead, 1 injured after semi-truck and van collide at highway intersection
Nine people lost their lives and one was injured in a horrific collision between a semi-truck and a van at a highway intersection in central Wisconsin on Friday morning, authorities said.
The Clark County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened around 7:53 a.m. local time, when a tractor-trailer traveling eastbound on Highway 95 struck a van that was going northbound on County Road J in Dewhurst Township.
The van was carrying nine passengers, including the driver, who were all pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff's office said. The driver of the semi-truck also died in the crash.
The only survivor was a passenger in the van, who was transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. The condition of the survivor was not released.
The names of the victims are being withheld pending notification of their families.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, with the assistance of the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers expressed his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as the first responders who worked at the scene.
"Kathy and I are saddened today by the fatal crash that occurred in Clark County, tragically taking nine lives," Evers said on X. "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."
The crash closed Highway 95 for several hours, as crews cleared the debris and wreckage from the vehicles. Aerial footage showed the semi-truck lying on its side in a ditch, while the van was on its side near the intersection.
The crash was one of the deadliest in Wisconsin's history, and shocked the residents of the rural area.
"It's just a terrible tragedy," said Dewhurst Town Chairman Tom Short, who lives near the crash site. "It's hard to comprehend something like this happening in our community."
