Two Jackson County first responders crash near scene of fatal wreck

Two emergency responders were injured when they collided about a mile west of a deadly four-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 on Wednesday.

Jackson County Emergency Services Director Earl Etheridge and Acadian Ambulance supervisor Frank Duke were taken from the wreck on I-10 to Ocean Springs Hospital before noon Wednesday. Both were treated and released.

The wreck occurred in the westbound lanes of I-10.

It involved a Ford Expedition SUV with a Jackson County Emergency Services logo and a Ford pickup with a state government tag.

The vehicles were traveling west on I-10 when they collided, according to people at the scene.

The SUV wound up in the median of the interstate and appeared to be rear-ended by the pickup, which had heavy front-end damage.

The two had been responding to a four-vehicle crash that has claimed four lives, caused a diesel spill and resulted in the closure of all westbound lanes. Emergency workers were still on scene when the second collision occurred.

Two 18-wheelers and two passenger vehicles were involved in the first crash, Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Chase Elkins.

The deadly collision occurred at the 63-mile marker just past the 4-mile-long bridge over the Pascagoula River.

Westbound lanes will be closed until at least 1 p.m., according to the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s latest alert.

Sun Herald staff writer Robin Fitzgerald contributed to this report.

This story was originally published May 24, 2017 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Two Jackson County first responders crash near scene of fatal wreck."