Motorist seriously injured, 2 semis and car destroyed in fiery 17-vehicle pileup on foggy I-84 in NE Oregon

Crashes and cleanup closed freeway for eight hours

PENDLETON, Ore. (KTVZ) – Thick fog and speed were factors in a fiery 17-car pileup on Interstate 84 in northeast Oregon Thursday afternoon that seriously injured one motorist and closed the freeway for about eight hours, Oregon State Police said Friday.

Troopers from the Pendleton-area Command responded around 12:35 p.m.  to the reported crash, with at least one semi-truck engulfed in flames on westbound I-84 near milepost 227 in Umatilla County, OSP said.

Troopers determined the crashes involved at least 17 vehicles, three that were destroyed by fire – two semis and a passenger car.

One motorist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and flown to a hospital in Washington state. Troopers said several other motorists suffered minor injuries.