Foreigners who were killed in the fiery island park crash tells the tragedy of the tragedy

The crash scene the next morning, May 2, and a photo from the crash. | Eastidahonews.com and Roger Merrill

Iceland Park – At least seven people, including six foreigners, were killed on Thursday evening on the US Highway 20 in Island Park during a fiery crash.

The emergency crews were called to the scene near Henry's Lake near Henry's Lake around 7.15 p.m. in order to participate in a report on a collision with a Dodge Ram pickup and a Mercedes passenger car with 14 tourists, according to a press release from the Idaho State Police. Both vehicles caught fire after the crash.

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According to Marvin Crane, the Lt. The Idaho State Police, transports the tour van from foreigners. Six of them died of the consequences of the crash and the driver of the truck.

The Coroner of the Fremont County office will publish the names of the deceased after their family members have been notified.

The US 20 was closed for almost seven hours, while rescue workers and the Idaho transport department worked to manage the scene and extinguish the street. The highway will be open from Friday morning.

Bart Quayle, Sheriff of Fremont County, said that many survivors were brought to local hospitals, although not all of their conditions are known.

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“With regard to a car accident, this is extremely unusual and terrible,” says Quayle.

According to Coleen Neimann, spokesman for the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, two patients were brought to the Idaho Falls Hospital via the ambulance. Their conditions are unknown.

According to Douglas McBride, spokesman for the Madison Memorial Hospital, five people were brought to the Rexburg Hospital by ambulance. Three were treated and released, and two remain approved in stable condition.

Witness account

Roger Merrill, a witness to the crash, said that he was a few traffic cars, just a few minutes from his house when the car flow no longer moved.

“I arrived there, I suspect within five minutes after the accident,” says Merrill. “It was obvious that it was terrible.”

Merrill said he noticed groups of people who got out of their cars with blankets and other helpful objects and hurried to the scene to help the victims.

“I could see in advance that many people helped,” says Merrill. “I didn't have a blanket or anything with me, so I held back, but you know it seemed as if people helped on site.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aezysktud4

According to Merrill, a representative of a sheriff of the Fremont County arrived 5 to 10 minutes after the crash and helped. The fire had not yet started at this point.

“The fire didn't start immediately,” says Merrill. “It probably took at least ten minutes after I got to the fire.”

According to Merrill, the deputy used a fire extinguisher to tame the flames as soon as it started, but the fire quickly spread from the truck to the tourist car.

“At first I thought it seemed that maybe a steam came from the vehicles that had crashed, but after a few minutes I could flare out,” says Merrill.

According to Merrill, a medical helicopter was next on site before several other law enforcement companies arrived.

Merrill says that the foreigners seemed to be Asian descent. A small group of them was able to get out of the van and go alone.

“Many of the cars stopped were also (Asian) tourists,” says Merrill. “So they went up to help those who had come out of the bus and helped to interpret.”

A woman was particularly injured, says Merrill, and witnesses to keep her calm and warm until the help arrived.

“(You) looked like she was shocked,” says Merrill.

Merrill spends a large part of the year in Island Park as the owner of the Playmill Theater and says he has never seen a crash like this.

“We have a lot of employees traveling this street and we say it every year, are careful because there are accidents that close the highways every year,” says Merrill. “I've never seen anything so bad.”