DEAN SENSUI / DSENSUI@STARBULLETIN.COM
An accident involving about 20 cars shut down the town-bound lanes of H-1 Freeway today just after 8 a.m. A tractor-trailer truck was rear-ended, which caused a chain reaction of crashes and kept traffic clogged all morning.
Multi-vehicle A 20-vehicle pileup on the H-1 Freeway near Leeward Community College injured seven people this morning and crippled traffic heading into town.
accident snarls
H-1, injures 7
2 pregnant women
and 5 others stableBy Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.comThe pileup started about 8 a.m. when a tractor-trailer truck was rear-ended, causing a chain reaction of crashes involving other large vehicles, including a garbage truck. Police said it was raining at the time.
Traffic backed up past Waikele on the H-1, past Ka Uka Boulevard on the H-2 and past Pupupuhi Street in Waipahu on Farrington Highway, as police were forced to close all but H-1's two outside east-bound lanes.
The ZipLane was reserved for emergency vehicles. It was reopened after the ambulances and fire engines left and kept open until about 9:30 a.m. to help clear the congestion.
Traffic monitors in the city's Traffic Control Center said motorists tried to sneak past the gate to get onto the ZipLane after. They said the traffic backup had not cleared even after a third lane was opened at about 9:40 a.m. By 10:15 a.m., four of the six lanes were open.
The Honolulu Fire Department sent five engine companies and set up a triage tent on the freeway to treat injured motorists.
Seven people were taken to area hospitals by ambulance. All were reported in stable condition, said Chris Ano, city Emergency Medical Services Assistant Chief. Two pregnant women went to Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi, three people went to Kuakini Medical Center and two others went to St. Francis Medical Center in Liliha.
Other people walked up to the triage tent to have themselves checked but decided to seek medical treatment on their own, said Capt. Kenison Tejada, HFD spokesman.
