One person was taken to Newman Regional Health for observation and possible treatment after two sets of collisions on the Kansas Turnpike in the same spot early Saturday.
The Kansas Highway Patrol says the crash happened just before 5:45 am at mile marker 111 northbound, just southwest of the Flint Hills cattle pens exit and 16 miles southwest of the Emporia tollgate. Troopers say the highway had developed black ice due to fog and there was little visibility at the time of the wreck.
Troopers also say a semi was disabled in the highway from a prior wreck when a car driven by 35-year-old Alisha Cannon of Andover hit it.
Cannon suffered suspected minor injuries and was transported to Newman Regional Health for treatment. The semi driver was not listed on the Highway Patrol’s online crash log.
The initial crash involved three semis and was reported at the same location at the same time. Troopers say two of the trucks were already disabled in the highway when the third hit the other two. The driver of the third semi, 24-year-old Gursanjanpreet Singh of Manitoba, Canada, suffered minor injuries but did not go to a hospital for treatment.
Widespread ice began forming on area highways before sunrise and continued causing issues into mid-afternoon.
7:30 am Saturday: One person to Newman Regional Health after multi-vehicle wreck on Kansas Turnpike; icy conditions expanding Saturday morning
Kansas Turnpike traffic northbound is still listed as blocked in Chase County after several vehicles apparently collided early Saturday.
The crash was reported before 6 am at mile marker 111 northbound, just south of the Flint Hills cattle pens exit and 16 miles southwest of the Emporia gate. As many as four vehicles are reported as possibly involved.
Emporia Fire Battalion Chief Ryan Conley says emergency crews checked out two people and took one to Newman Regional Health for observation and treatment. Conditions were occasionally icy on the Turnpike, meaning a slower trip down the Turnpike than normal.
Another injury crash was reported at mile marker 116, but no transports have been announced with that incident.
Icy highway conditions are relatively widespread as of 7:30 am:
*US Highway 50 is seasonal west of Plymouth
*US Highway 56 is partly covered west of the Lyon-Osage county line
*Kansas Highway 99 is partly covered north of US-56
*Kansas Highway 150 is seasonal west of US-50
*Kansas Highway 177 is partly covered north of Cassoday
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
6 am Saturday: Reported multi-vehicle injury crash under investigation on Kansas Turnpike
Northbound traffic on the Kansas Turnpike in southern Chase County is blocked until further notice after a reported injury crash involving several vehicles early Saturday.
The crash was reported before 6 am at mile marker 111 northbound, just south of the Flint Hills cattle pens exit and 16 miles southwest of the Emporia gate. As many as four vehicles are reported as possibly involved. The number of patients is currently unclear, as is the severity of any injuries.
A second injury wreck was noted at Turnpike mile marker 116, near the Lyon-Chase county line. Details are pending.
With the medical response and early crash investigation processes both underway, it’s unclear if the weather played a role in this crash. Light freezing drizzle was listed as possible in the Saturday morning forecast. Turnpike travel conditions are listed as clear to seasonal, while Kansas Highway 177 is seasonal from Cassoday north to Strong City and partly ice-covered from Strong City north past Manhattan. Law enforcement and rescue crews have reported icy conditions as they respond to the Turnpike wrecks.
US Highway 56 is also partly covered west of Admire.
On another weather note: clouds may well persist through Saturday, but for the first time in a week, any fog and mist overhead isn’t enough to trigger any sort of alert from the National Weather Service.
Patchy fog developed late Friday and continues Saturday morning. The Emporia Municipal Airport is noting visibility at 2.5 miles — a vast improvement from the 0.25-mile visibility or less that has happened repeatedly from sunset to noon all week.
Saturday’s forecast calls for a slight chance of freezing drizzle and drizzle for the morning hours with a high of 38. The longstanding cloud deck — almost three weeks — is finally set to break Sunday with highs around 50. There should be sunshine and highs in the 50s all week.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
