Investigators with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department are still investigating a deadly accident on Interstate 79 Wednesday morning that claimed the lives of two people, sent two others to the hospital and brought interstate traffic to a standstill for around five hours.
The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) sent a press release confirming the two fatalities Wednesday afternoon, but little additional information has been released since.
Mon EMS officials told The Dominion Post Thursday that the accident, which occurred near the 149 mile-marker between the Westover exit and the I-79/I-68 interchange, involved three vehicles. The two people taken to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital were believed to have serious injuries, however one of them was evaluated and released.
Nurse Hailey Varndell was driving just seconds behind the collision.
“I’ve never really experienced anything like that … ” she said.
“When I saw the cars burst into flames, I hurried up and drove around it. I remember thinking while driving around it — feeling the heat of the fire in my car, which was insane.”
Varndell said she and another nurse who came upon the accident quickly pulled over to see how they could assist. Varndell recalled seeing a younger woman and an older gentleman trying to get away from the scene.
The two nurses helped the pair to the guardrail and began evaluating them the best they could.
“I tried to get the girl to regulate her breathing as she was starting to hyperventilate,” Varndell said.
She also noticed blood on the older gentleman’s forehead, so she began asking him questions.
“I asked if he was in any pain or had any vision changes,” she said. “He replied by saying he was OK.”
Varndell said the young lady really wanted to lie down, so she and the other nurse helped the woman to Varndell’s car and made it so she was able to lie back for a little while they waited for EMS to arrive.
Both nurses were on their way to work prior to the accident.
“Again, I just stayed with them until EMS arrived and kept talking to them,” Varndell said. “After EMS arrived, I left to go to my job.”
The pair of victims did not walk away unscathed, but the extent of their injuries is unknown.
“They both were able to talk and stay awake with me while we waited,” Varndell said.
The identities of the victims in Wednesday’s crash have not been revealed. The Dominion Post will continue to follow up on the investigation into the cause.
