ST. GEORGE — Nearly a dozen crashes kept Utah Highway Patrol troopers busy Thursday morning as heavy snow and frozen roads led to slide-offs and collisions, including a school bus that crashed with 11 children on board, all of whom were spared from injury.
More than seven inches of snow falls along the roadway during winter storm in Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 25, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News, Cedar City News
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden told St. George News that 11 crashes were reported on Interstate 15 during an hour-long period starting just before 9 a.m. Several incidents involved semitractor-trailers that slid off the roadway or into one another.
Roden went on to say that one of the crashes involved a school bus that came to rest partially blocking one of the travel lanes, and immediately after, the bus remained operational and was moved to the emergency lane and out of the way of traffic. He went on to say that none of the 11 children on board reported any injuries at the scene.
UHP Lt. Clay Allred told St. George News that in addition to the crashes reported along the interstate, there were a number of crashes reported on several of the outlying, snow-covered roads across Iron County.
Meanwhile, an advisory posted shortly after 6:30 a.m. alerted motorists to travel restrictions on a 45-mile stretch of state Route 143. Chains were required from mile marker 4-50 — a section of highway that runs from Brian Head and continues through Garfield and Iron counties.
Shortly after the advisory was posted, another crash was reported on state Route 14 that affected traffic in both directions.
Allred said that shortly after 11 a.m., both northbound lanes of travel along I-15 were blocked following a crash involving multiple semi-trucks, as troopers worked to clear the wreckage and divert traffic away from the scene. A single lane was reopened for travel less than an hour after the crash was reported, and by 2 p.m. the crash was cleared and the roadway was reopened.
The crashes along the interstate in both directions have been cleared and all lanes are open for travel. No injuries were reported.
This report is based on statements from police, emergency personnel or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
St. George News reporters Jeff Richards and Alysha Lundgren contributed to this report.
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