Fiery Wreck on SR-74 Sends Six to Hospital

A total of six people were hospitalized following a crash on State Route 74 in the Homeland area, CHP and fire officials said Thursday.

The incident was reported just after 6 p.m. Wednesday on the highway, just west of Winchester Road.

“At the time of CHP arrival, three vehicles involved in the collision were on fire, with the entire roadway blocked,” CHP Officer Mike Lassig said in a news release.

Emergency crews immediately got to work freeing those in the vehicles, calling in an air ambulance for one person who had severe injuries.

“Fire and medical personnel conducted the triage on multiple patients involved in the collision,” Lassig said. “The most critical patient, suffered burn injuries to her lower extremities and was flown by Mercy Air to a local burn center for treatment.”

The other five occupants’ injuries varied from moderate to serious, and they were also hospitalized, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

“As a result of the collision, all lanes of State Route 74 between Olson Avenue and Melba Avenue were closed for approximately three hours and forty-five minutes for rescue operations, scene investigation, vehicle recovery and clean-up,” Lassig said.

An update on those injured was not immediately available.