The Oregon State Police along with several local agencies worked together throughout the night to get Interstate 84 open and cleared of vehicles. Troopers from the Pendleton and La Grande Area Commands along with crews from the below-listed agencies worked all night to get them over 170 vehicles out of the 1.75 mile stretch of the interstate. Uninjured persons who could not otherwise drive from the scene due to the blockage or damaged vehicles were transported to the Pendleton Convention Center for reunification. A local taxi company and a church provided vans to transport persons from the convention center to local hotels as needed.
A total of 71 people were transported from the crash scene to the reunification center via buses. Initial numbers collected were that there were 17 patients transported from the crash scene to the hospital with an additional 2 transported after having arrived at the reunification center.
There are still several sections of Interstate 84 with extreme winter road conditions, so traveling is still hazardous. If you don’t have to travel, we recommend staying home. If you do have to travel use www.tripcheck.com for road conditions or to find an alternate route.
The Umatilla County Emergency Operations Center was activated for this incident. Several agencies worked together to coordinate this large-scale incident.
Oregon State Police
Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office
Umatilla County Emergency Management
Pendleton Fire
Umatilla County Fire District One
Pilot Rock Fire
East Umatilla County Fire and Rescue
CTUIR Fire and Ambulance
CTUIR Emergency Management
La Grande Fire and Ambulance
Oregon Department of Transportation
Additional medic units from Union and Walla Walla County
Along with half-dozen tow companies
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On February 21, 2022, at approximately 12:20 P.M., OSP was notified of a motor vehicle crash on Interstate 84 westbound between milepost 229 and 230 involving numerous motor vehicles. Responding officers were notified of additional crashes while they were arriving, and then once on scene, officers could hear crashes occurring behind them.
Initial scene response revealed multiple motor vehicle crashes along an approximately one-mile-long stretch of the road involving passenger cars and commercial motor vehicles. The largest crash is estimated to involve between 15-20 cars and trucks. Early estimation is that as many as 98 vehicles have crashed in the area.
Emergency medical responders from the surrounding areas have dispatched medical and fire personnel to the scene and are actively treating and transporting patients. The total number of injured persons cannot be determined at this time.
The Umatilla County Emergency Operations Center has been activated for this incident.
Uninjured persons who cannot otherwise drive from the scene due to blockage or damaged vehicles are being transported to the Pendleton Convention Center at 1601 Westgate, Pendleton Oregon 97801. Emergency Responders are asking that only persons needing to pick up family members come to that location.
Several agencies are working together to coordinate this large-scale incident.
Oregon State Police
Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office
Umatilla County Emergency Management
Pendleton Fire
Umatilla County Fire District One
Pilot Rock Fire
East Umatilla County Fire and Rescue
CTUIR Fire and Ambulance
CTUIR Emergency Management
La Grande Fire and Ambulance
Oregon Department of Transportation
Additional medic units from Union and Walla Walla County
Interstate 84 is closed westbound from milepost 302-216 and eastbound from 216-265. There is no estimation on when Interstate 84 will reopen.