State Police are investigating the fiery crash on I-96

WEBBERVILLE, Mich. (WILX) – We now know more information about the people who died in the crash on I-96.

They include three people from Lansing and a man from Carson City. According to Michigan State Police, the status of the 17 injured is unknown.

This was a road closure due to the laying of power lines. When the road reopened, a westbound semi did not slow down because traffic had stopped. The result was the crash and the indefinite closure of the west bridge and the underpass.

“You would really think it was a tanker or just a bomb exploding. “It was so loud it stopped our customer in the parking lot,” said Justin McCallum, an employee at the Mobil gas station on M-52 near I-96.

He describes graphic footage from the store's video camera of a semi-truck colliding with stopped vehicles. The semitrailer's impact with multiple vehicles resulted in a fire and explosion, killing four people and injuring 17.

“It seems he didn't see the slowdown and wasn't paying attention. We’re not sure what happened in the taxi, but he ended up crashing into the vehicles,” Lt. Rene Gonzalez of the Michigan State Police.

Crews were out Sunday morning clearing the westbound bridge on M-52 of the tractor-trailer and trailer that had been hauling fruits and vegetables, Gonzalez said. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is investigating the condition of the bridge, which appears to be visually charred and damaged.

“We are not allowing traffic to travel north or south on M-52 under the bridge. We let everyone off at West 96 to M-52 where they can get back on,” Gonzalez said.

“52 is such a busy highway, whatever, but we also do big business here with Aldi,” McCallum said.

This is causing closures and delays that Gonzalez says will last indefinitely.

“It will be a while before they know anything. I don’t expect this to open any time soon,” Gonzalez said.

He also says distracted driving could be the cause.

“On the highway traffic can come to a sudden stop, you have to be aware of what's happening. “Families are waking up to bad news right now, I feel for you,” McCallum said.

While MDOT determines the safety of the bridge. Michigan State Police are investigating what exactly led to the crash. Talk to the victims and collect any videos from the crash to determine whether criminal charges will be filed against the culprit.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to the University of Michigan Health Hospital in Ann Arbor for treatment of his injuries.

I-69 and M-52 have since reopened.

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