Nine people were killed Friday when a van was hit by a tractor-trailer at a state highway intersection in Wisconsin, authorities said.
The Clark County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that only one person in the van survived the crash, which was reported at 7:53 a.m. in Dewhurst Township, about 45 miles southeast of Eau Claire. .
According to the sheriff's office, the accident occurred when a tractor-trailer heading east on Route 95 collided with a van heading north on intersecting County Road J.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was killed, and eight of the nine people in the van were also killed, including the driver of the vehicle, police said. All were pronounced dead at the scene.
Gov. Tony Evers told the X Show that he and his wife were saddened by the tragic crash.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of all involved, and to the first responders who worked quickly to provide assistance on the scene,” Evers said. .
The surviving passengers of the van were taken to a hospital for treatment, the sheriff's office said. Their conditions have not been announced.
The name of the deceased was not released Wednesday night pending notification of next of kin, the sheriff's office said.
Video from the scene and from the air showed both vehicles sustaining significant damage.
The front of the semi was messed up as the van was on its side and the big rig and its cargo were partially overturned in the highway ditch.
