Traffic

All lanes on interstate heading to Columbia blocked by multi-vehicle crash

Drivers heading toward Columbia on the Thursday morning commute were delayed by a multi-vehicle crash on a major highway that caused a traffic jam and injuries.

All of the eastbound lanes on Interstate 20 were blocked following the collision that happened at about 8 a.m., according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

The wreck was near Exit 58, which is the junction with U.S. 1, and the connection to Lexington, West Columbia, and the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

Injuries were reported in the crash, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. Information on the number of people hurt, and their conditions, was not available.

Vehicles were backed up at least three miles as emergency officials responded to the scene, SCDOT traffic cameras showed.

There was no word on what caused the crash, but 13 vehicles involved in multiple wrecks, according to Master Trooper David Jones of South Carolina Highway Patrol.

SCDOT said the lanes were reopened at about 8:30 a.m., but traffic congestion continued to be an issue.

Information on when all of I-20 would be cleared was not available, but drivers were encouraged to find alternative routes, or expect delays, Jones said.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

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This is a breaking news story

In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.

This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 8:25 AM.

Noah Feit
The State
Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription
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