ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. — At least one person is dead after an eight-vehicle crash Wednesday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
Four tractor-trailers and four passenger vehicles were involved in the crash, according to WXFR. They reported that the crash happened at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The Virginia Department of Transportation said both southbound lanes of Interstate 81 were closed near mile marker 198, between exit 200 at Fairfield and exit 195 at Lexington. Traffic was diverted onto Route 11 at exit 200 at Fairfield and exit 205 at Raphine.
As of this writing, the left lane at mile marker 198 has been reopened only to allow the passage of vehicles that were trapped south of exit 200. Otherwise, the current detour remains in place.
Southbound #I81 update: Left lane at mile marker 198 in #Rockbridge County has reopened ONLY to release vehicles "trapped" south of exit 200. Detour remains in place for all other traffic, but we hope to lift the detour soon. pic.twitter.com/eB53HW7zBF
— VDOT Staunton (@VaDOTStaunton) March 9, 2022
Cleanup efforts are underway. The trucks reported spilled lumber and water bottles on the highway. WXFR said that they were told that the cleanup will take a significant amount of time.
Southbound #I81 update: Crews have finished pumping fuel from wrecked tractor trailers. They continue removing vehicles and spilled cargo. Both southbound lanes remain closed at mile 198 in #Rockbridge County. Major backups. Traffic detoured onto Route 11. pic.twitter.com/qZRITpZBmk
— VDOT Staunton (@VaDOTStaunton) March 9, 2022
The person who died in the crash has not been identified, and it is not known which vehicle they were driving.
There was also another crash involving a tractor-trailer near the end of the Rockbridge County backup, according to WXFR. Virginia Department of Transportation officials said that crash has only resulted in a shoulder closure at this time.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
