1 Dead After Fiery Crash on I-80 in Centre County

One person is dead after a seven-vehicle crash that closed part of Interstate 80 in Centre County on Tuesday afternoon, according to a public information release from state police at Rockview.

The person killed, whose identity has not been released, was fatally injured when their vehicle “exploded and became fully engulfed” after striking multiple other vehicles, police wrote.

The crash happened at about 3:30 p.m. on I-80 eastbound near mile marker 163 in Marion Township, where traffic was slowed due to backlog from the merge point for the long-term construction zone at mile 164.8, according to the release.

The driver of a vehicle described as unit 1 struck another vehicle, causing a chain reaction crash that resulted in three catching fire and others sustaining damage. Unit 1 caught fire and its driver died after striking the seventh and final vehicle involved, police wrote.

Centre County dispatch reported that the crash involved passenger and commercial vehicles, including at least one tractor-trailer that was on fire. Photos from WTAJ and WJAC showed a smoking, destroyed tractor-trailer. Police did not immediately describe the vehicles involved.

Police also did not disclose other injuries in Tuesday night’s release. A LifeFlight helicopter landed near the crash site, according to dispatch reports.

I-80 eastbound remained closed between exit 158 at Milesburg and exit 178 at Lock Haven as of 8 p.m.

“This closure will be very extensive as the incident is ongoing,” Centre County 9-1-1 wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday afternoon. “Please adjust your travels.”

State police and multiple fire and EMS companies from Centre and Clinton counties were dispatched to the scene.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.