HAZLETON — Traffic on Interstate 81 in the Hazleton area was at a standstill for much of the afternoon Friday.
Images from PennDOT cameras showed traffic stopped in both directions south of the Hazleton area as well as emergency vehicles heading down exit ramps.
The crashes happened in the northbound lanes between the Greater Hazleton exit (141) and the Route 924 exit (143), and in the southbound lanes between the Interstate 80 exit (151) and the West Hazleton/Route 93 exit (145), according to PennDOT. Traffic is stopped in both directions.
Rescue crews tell us the crash involving several vehicles including a tractor-trailer on I-81 northbound happened just after 1:30 p.m. at mile marker 145 near Hazleton.
Hazle Township fire And Rescue, Sugarloaf Rescue and several EMS units were called out. Crews tell us a driver was trapped in a tractor-trailer
A total of four people were hurt, one seriously.
There was a separate crash on I-81 southbound which closed that side of the interstate for about an hour and a half.
The wrecks on the southbound side were cleared by about 3:15 p.m., according to PennDOT.
There is no word from authorities on injuries and no word from PennDOT on when the highway will reopen.
Check real-time conditions with the WNEP Traffic Tracker.
