More than 100 vehicles involved in pileup on a snowy Oregon highway, with injuries reported

5 days ago 4

A more than 100-vehicle pileup in whiteout conditions has closed part of a major interstate along the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon, authorities said Thursday.The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that westbound Interstate 84, which connects Oregon and Idaho, was closed near Multnomah Falls after a vehicle pileup in which an SUV caught fire. Authorities say the people in the SUV were able to escape, but that there are reports of people being trapped in their vehicles.First responders are searching car by car, and injuries have been reported, authorities said.A n Oregon State Police spokesperson, Kyle Kennedy, said in an email that there have been no reported deaths.Multnomah Falls is about 25 miles east of Portland.Earlier, as northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington were preparing for freezing rain and snow that could cause power outages, officials in Oregon's Multnomah County, which includes Portland, extended a state of emergency through at least Thursday and said six emergency shelters would be open. Officials said 356 people went to the shelters Tuesday night. Wind chill readings could dip to 10 degrees in Portland, the National Weather service said. In Idaho, a cold weather advisory was in effect, with wind chills potentially as low as minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit in the north-central part of the state.An ice storm in the Portland area early Thursday and Friday could challenge deliveries of flowers and other gifts for Valentine's Day. Temperatures plummeted earlier this week in Portland, which is more known for its rainfall. Julia Duncan, a co-owner of Flowers in Flight, shrugged off the weather, saying the area endured ice storms in past winters and customers are willing to go the extra mile for the people they love."It's Valentine's Day!" Duncan said. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

LOS ANGELES —

A more than 100-vehicle pileup in whiteout conditions has closed part of a major interstate along the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon, authorities said Thursday.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that westbound Interstate 84, which connects Oregon and Idaho, was closed near Multnomah Falls after a vehicle pileup in which an SUV caught fire. Authorities say the people in the SUV were able to escape, but that there are reports of people being trapped in their vehicles.

First responders are searching car by car, and injuries have been reported, authorities said.

A n Oregon State Police spokesperson, Kyle Kennedy, said in an email that there have been no reported deaths.

Multnomah Falls is about 25 miles east of Portland.

Earlier, as northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington were preparing for freezing rain and snow that could cause power outages, officials in Oregon's Multnomah County, which includes Portland, extended a state of emergency through at least Thursday and said six emergency shelters would be open. Officials said 356 people went to the shelters Tuesday night. Wind chill readings could dip to 10 degrees in Portland, the National Weather service said.

In Idaho, a cold weather advisory was in effect, with wind chills potentially as low as minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit in the north-central part of the state.

An ice storm in the Portland area early Thursday and Friday could challenge deliveries of flowers and other gifts for Valentine's Day. Temperatures plummeted earlier this week in Portland, which is more known for its rainfall.

Julia Duncan, a co-owner of Flowers in Flight, shrugged off the weather, saying the area endured ice storms in past winters and customers are willing to go the extra mile for the people they love.

"It's Valentine's Day!" Duncan said. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

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