By Crash News Writer 
Lansing, MI (July 3, 2025) — A fiery chain-reaction crash involving a semi-truck, a box truck, and a pickup truck claimed the lives of two drivers Tuesday afternoon along Interstate 96 near Portland.
According to reports, the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the fatal collision just after 3:14 p.m. on July 2 near mile marker 71 in the westbound lanes of I-96. Investigators say a semi-truck was stopped in a merge zone when a pickup truck slowed or stopped behind it. A box truck traveling behind the pickup was unable to stop in time, rear-ending the pickup and pushing it into the back of the semi-truck’s trailer.
The impact caused both the pickup truck and box truck to catch fire, becoming fully engulfed in flames. Tragically, both drivers were trapped inside their vehicles and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi-truck was not injured in the crash.
Authorities closed westbound lanes for hours as crews worked to extinguish the fires and clear the wreckage. The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the exact circumstances that led to this deadly collision.
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PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
The information in this article is based on initial reports from local authorities and may be subject to updates as investigations continue.
- The identities of those involved in the incident have not been released pending official confirmation and notification of next of kin.
- Further details about the accident, including toxicology results and potential charges, will be shared as they become available.
- Road closures and traffic updates related to the accident scene can be found by checking with local authorities or traffic monitoring services.
The content of this news story is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice. All information is based on public reports at the time of publication, and details may change as investigations progress. Readers are encouraged to seek legal counsel if they or someone they know have been involved in a similar incident. The publisher assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this article. Learn more with our disclaimer.