Major-injury crash closes Highway 101 near San Miguel
Photo from Paso Robles Incidents/Action.
Five vehicles involved in collision
– A major-injury crash involving five vehicles closed both directions of Highway 101 near San Miguel on Sunday afternoon after heavy smoke from a roadside vegetation fire reduced visibility to near zero, according to reports.
The collision occurred near Highway 101 and 10th Street after a tire blowout on a truck towing a trailer sparked a vegetation fire around 3 p.m. The fire burned about 4 acres and produced heavy smoke that contributed to the chain-reaction crash.
The California Highway Patrol reported that southbound Highway 101 was closed in the San Miguel and northern Paso Robles area following the collision. Traffic was diverted at Mission Street, with the closure point at 10th Street.
Both northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 101 were closed for about an hour while officers conducted round-robin traffic control through the smoke, according to CHP.
Two people were transported to Adventist Health Sierra Vista. One person suffered major head injuries. Other people involved in the collision reported pain complaints.
Highway 101 reopened in both directions by about 5:10 p.m., although round-robin traffic control remained in effect while emergency crews continued working in the area.
The California Highway Patrol urged drivers to slow down and use caution around emergency personnel and traffic control operations.
No further information is available at this time.
