At least one person has died following a fiery two-vehicle crash that shut down a major stretch of Interstate 85 in Durham early Monday morning.
According to Durham police, the collision occurred shortly after 3 a.m. and involved two vehicles traveling along the interstate. Emergency crews responded quickly to the scene near the I-885 and U.S. 70 split, where they found significant damage and hazardous conditions.
Authorities said one of the vehicles was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived, while the second vehicle had veered off the roadway and came to rest in an embankment with heavy damage. Both vehicles were severely destroyed in the impact.
Police confirmed that at least one person was killed in the crash. The total number of occupants involved has not yet been fully released, and officials have not provided the identity of the victim pending family notification.
The incident forced the closure of a large section of Interstate 85 for several hours as investigators worked to document the scene and clear debris. Traffic in the area was heavily impacted during the morning commute.
Investigators are still working to determine what caused the crash and how the vehicles came to collide. Authorities have not yet said whether speed, impairment, or other factors may have played a role.
