**A recent tour bus crash near Yellowstone National Park resulted in seven fatalities and several injuries, sparking an investigation and raising safety concerns for the busy tourist route.**
**Tragic Tour Bus Collision Near Yellowstone Claims Seven Lives**
**Tragic Tour Bus Collision Near Yellowstone Claims Seven Lives**
**Fatal accident raises concerns about highway safety during peak season**
The collision of a tour bus and a pickup truck near Yellowstone National Park on Thursday has resulted in a tragic loss of life. The incident, which occurred around 19:15 local time (02:15 GMT), has claimed the lives of seven individuals, with eight more sustaining injuries. According to state police, the accident took place on a highway in eastern Idaho when a Chevy pickup truck collided with a van transporting 14 tourists. Both vehicles were engulfed in flames following the impact.
Witnesses reported a horrifying scene with smoke and fire consuming both vehicles on the highway leading into Yellowstone, which is currently experiencing its busy tourist season. Local resident Roger Merrill, who captured the event on camera, recounted helping those affected by the crash and remarked on the dangers associated with this particular highway. "It is a very dangerous highway because it leads to the main entrance of Yellowstone National Park," he stated. "It's extremely busy."
The accident closed the highway for approximately seven hours, allowing emergency responders to treat the injured and clear debris from the scene, which is situated around 16 miles from Yellowstone's entrance. Authorities are conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash, while the names of the deceased will be disclosed by the local coroner's office once family notifications are made.
Yellowstone, recognized as the United States' oldest national park, spans nearly 3,500 square miles across Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. The park attracts an average of four million tourists annually, with the greatest influx occurring from May to September, according to the National Park Service.
Witnesses reported a horrifying scene with smoke and fire consuming both vehicles on the highway leading into Yellowstone, which is currently experiencing its busy tourist season. Local resident Roger Merrill, who captured the event on camera, recounted helping those affected by the crash and remarked on the dangers associated with this particular highway. "It is a very dangerous highway because it leads to the main entrance of Yellowstone National Park," he stated. "It's extremely busy."
The accident closed the highway for approximately seven hours, allowing emergency responders to treat the injured and clear debris from the scene, which is situated around 16 miles from Yellowstone's entrance. Authorities are conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash, while the names of the deceased will be disclosed by the local coroner's office once family notifications are made.
Yellowstone, recognized as the United States' oldest national park, spans nearly 3,500 square miles across Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. The park attracts an average of four million tourists annually, with the greatest influx occurring from May to September, according to the National Park Service.
