2 Seriously Injured In 10-Vehicle, Fiery Pile-Up

SONOMA COUNTY, CA – Two out of six people who were injured and taken to hospitals suffered major injuries when a commercial truck hauling debris collided with nine passenger vehicles at a busy north Santa Rosa intersection this morning, a police lieutenant said.

The truck driver was traveling west on Fountaingrove Parkway when he lost control at the intersection of Mendocino Avenue around 9:25 a.m., Lt. Rick Kohut said.

The truck and five of the vehicles it struck caught fire and the truck came to rest in the eastbound lanes of the Mendocino Avenue over-crossing between Mendocino and Cleveland avenues.

At least two of the victims had to be extricated from their vehicle, which did not catch fire, according to police.

Two people suffered major injuries as a result of the collision and four others suffered minor and moderate injuries, according to police.

Firefighters were able to control the vehicle fires within about 30 minutes.

In addition to the fire, the collision also caused burning fuel to run into a nearby gutter. Firefighters used a specialized foam to control the burning fuel, police said.

The Santa Rosa Public Works Department also responded and contained the liquid runoff from the collision and firefighting efforts, in order to prevent it from entering the sewer system and nearby creeks.

Police are investigating what caused the collision.

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PREVIOUS: MONDAY, FEB. 5, 2:30 p.m.

Ten vehicles and a big-rig were involved in a fiery, morning crash in Santa Rosa that sent six individuals, two with serious injuries, to area hospitals, according to authorities.

The Santa Rosa police and fire departments and American Medical Response of Sonoma County responded to the 9:30 a.m. massive wreck, that included six vehicles on fire, in the Mendocino Avenue and Fountaingrove Parkway area of north Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Fire Department said.

Five ambulances were at the scene, along with four fire engines and two ladder trucks, officials said. The vehicle fires sent into the sky plumes of black smoke that were visible for miles.

The Santa Rosa Police Department said an investigation into the accident is ongoing, and that area road closures are likely to remain for most of the day.‬

As of this morning, the streets that police asked motorists to avoid included: Mendocino northbound at Bicentennial Way; southbound Old Redwood Highway at the Mendocino off-ramp; the Mendocino over-crossing at Cleveland Avenue; and westbound Fountaingrove at Round Barn.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Images via Santa Rosa Fire Department