According to Illinois State Police, a wrong-way collision on Interstate 94 on Chicago’s South Side on Friday night resulted in one death and numerous injuries. The crash has prompted a major emergency response and the closure of northbound lanes.
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Police have also not released the identity of the person who died. It remains unclear whether the deceased was the wrong-way driver or another driver involved in the crash.
“Still can’t see the crash but it seems big. Crews are having a hard time getting thru bc too many drivers are on the shoulder.@fox32news they’re telling people to move left,” he wrote.
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Videos and photos circulating on social media showed a large number of police and emergency vehicles present near the scene.
The crash occurred at approximately 5:48 pm in the northbound express lanes of I-94 near 55th Street, according to Illinois State Police. Investigators said a vehicle entered the interstate in the wrong direction near 31st Street, traveling south in the northbound lanes before striking multiple vehicles near Garfield Boulevard.
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Illinois State Police said the wrong-way driver collided with several vehicles after entering the expressway from the wrong direction. Authorities have not disclosed how many people were hurt or the severity of their injuries.
The crash triggered a significant emergency response involving Illinois State Police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. Images shared online showed numerous emergency vehicles lined up along the interstate.
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As investigators worked at the scene, all northbound traffic on I-94 was diverted at 67th Street. This has caused significant delays during the Friday evening commute. Illinois State Police advised drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
Authorities had not announced when the interstate would fully reopen.
Traffic reporter Bret Buganski posted on X that he had “not seen this many emergency vehicles in a long time.” He added that rescue crews struggled to reach the crash because some drivers were using the shoulder instead of leaving it open for emergency vehicles.
