A pair of wrecks Friday morning killed at least three people after two commercial trucks crashed, followed by a multi-vehicle wreck hours later along Interstate 40 between Little Rock and Memphis, state officials said.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation reported one crash just after 9 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-40, east of Forrest City in St. Francis County. The Arkansas State Police confirmed at least one person died after two commercial trucks crashed.
The eastbound lanes, meanwhile, were said to be blocked about 3 miles east of the fiery wreck after noon "due to a serious accident" that involved five vehicles, the highway agency said.
State police spokesman Bill Sadler said that wreck happened around 11:30 a.m. and two people were killed in the multi-vehicle crash.
Authorities will notify the families of the people killed before their identities are released, Sadler said.
The westbound lanes remained closed early Friday afternoon where the crash happened, as recovery crews worked to remove what appeared to be the remains of heavily charred and damaged tractor-trailers.
Highway officials said the inside eastbound lane was opened but traffic was still being diverted around the area. Officials reopened a westbound lane around 2 p.m.
The Arkansas Online live traffic map showed significant backups in both directions at 12:20 p.m.
Sadler said state agents were still investigating both crashes Friday afternoon.