Successive Crashes Make A Mess Of Friday Morning Commute Near Manchester-East Hartford Line

MANCHESTER/EAST HARTFORD, CT — Several crashes, including two involving overturned vehicles, caused highway closures in the Hartford area Friday morning, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

In Manchester, the Interstate 291 eastbound Exit 5C off-ramp to Interstate 84 westbound was closed because of a motor vehicle crash reported at about 8:44 a.m.

A separate crash involving an overturned vehicle closed westbound Interstate 384 beyond Exit 1A in East Hartford. The crash was reported at about 8:40 a.m. near the Interstate 84 eastbound and Interstate 291 westbound interchange.

Traffic had already been delayed because, earlier Friday morning, an overturned vehicle caused the closure of westbound Interstate 84 between Exits 59 and 58 in East Hartford.

The crash was reported at about 7:05 a.m., approximately a mile before Exit 58, which serves Roberts Street.

Here is how is all began.

Preliminary information from state police indicates that Troop H was advised of a rollover collision on I-84 westbound between Exit 59 and 58, in East Hartford. EMS and the local fire department were also dispatched.

A crash report elaborated that a a 32-year-old Manchester man lost control of the 2008 Honda Odyssey he was driving and the mini-van slammed into a DOT sound barrier, just shy of the Forbes Street overpass.

He was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries, according to a crash report.

The DOT and state police closed off I-84 westbound for the investigation, state police said. Troopers from CSP C.A.R.S. (Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad) were at the scene.

The successive crashes were a trickle-down effect from the initial crash.

The DOT had turned off the traffic cameras in the area, usually indicative of a serious crash.

Traffic was seen flowing freely again by early afternoon one the cameras were turned back on.