Interstate 55 crash snarls traffic for several hours

Traffic was slowed on eastbound Interstate 55 near Collinsville for several hours Thursday after a multi-vehicle crash.

Multiple rescue crews were called to the area near mile marker 13 just before 2 p.m. According to an Illinois State Police watch commander, two tractor-trailers and a vehicle were involved in the crash. For a while after the crash, police directed traffic off the interstate. All lanes were open again after 8 p.m., more than six hours after the incident.

The crash made for a slower evening commute with stop and go traffic being the norm in the area. Police said it took longer than usual to clear the crash scene because some steel beems had fallen off one of the semis involved in the crash. Police did not know how many people were injured, but there were no fatalities.

Rescue crews from Collinsville, Maryville and Glen Carbon were dispatched. Rescuers also called for a medical helicopter.

Another minor crash occurred on Interstate 255 north of the initial crash site as traffic was being redirected. That wound up further slowing traffic on a sunny, cold December afternoon.

This story was originally published December 8, 2016 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Interstate 55 crash snarls traffic for several hours."