Interstate Back Open at Effingham After Multi-Vehicle Incident

The interstate through Effingham was closed following a multi-vehicle crash over the noon hour Monday a mile south of the Fayette Avenue interchange.

The incident happened on Southbound I-57/Westbound I-70 and involved three school buses and a semi.

Effingham Assistant Fire Chief Matt Kulesza said the buses were older units that were being taken to the southern United States with blacked-out windows. Kulesza said one bus moved to the far left lane and one was in the far right lane. The semi driver took the middle lane and was trying to move between the two buses when the bus in the far right lane tried to go to the far left lane and collided with the semi. The impact caused the semi to strike the bus in the far left lane. 

The bus in the far left lane ended up striking the inside median barrier. The bus struck by the semi went through the lanes to the right and then across the cable running along the interstate and down an embankment, ending up on the frontage road west of the interstate. 

The third bus avoided any collisions. 

(THANKS TO FIRE CHIEF BOB TUTKO FOR THIS PHOTO FROM THE SCENE)

The driver of the bus that ended up on the frontage road and a passenger were injured and were taken for treatment. There were no other injuries. 

Traffic was backed up for about 20 minutes following the incident.

Effingham and Shumway firefighters assisted Illinois State Police at the scene.

Effingham Fire Chief Bob Tutko said the crash was one of four that resulted in calls to that same area for firefighters between 11:30am and 3:45pm Monday. Tutko said there were three separate single-vehicle crashes that followed the noon hour crash. Two of those involved no injuries, but firefighters provided transportation to the drivers and/or passengers of the vehicles involved to help State Troopers stay on patrol duties.