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Tempe: Two Dead After Fiery Rollover Crash Closes Loop 202 for Hours

M

Marcus Whitfield

A Sunday crash on the Red Mountain Freeway leaves two dead and shuts down a major Tempe corridor

Two people died after a violent rollover crash sent a vehicle into flames on the Loop 202 in Tempe on Sunday afternoon. The Arizona Department of Public Safety said the collision happened just before 5:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes near the Loop 101 interchange.

Troopers said a driver merging into the high-occupancy vehicle lane rear-ended a second vehicle that was stopped or moving slowly. The impact pushed the second car into the median wall. It rolled onto its roof and caught fire.

"Two people inside the overturned vehicle died at the scene. They have not been publicly identified pending notification of next of kin," according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The freeway closure

The fire blocked the HOV lane and westbound lanes near McClintock Drive. The Arizona Department of Transportation said the entire westbound freeway was shut down around 6 p.m. Dark smoke reduced visibility on the eastbound side as well.

The westbound Loop 202 remained closed for more than four hours. It reopened around 10 p.m. Sunday night, according to KTAR News.

The investigation continues

The at-fault driver was not identified. DPS said the notification process for the victims is ongoing. Investigators have not released the cause of the crash or details about the driver who struck the other vehicle.

This was not the first fatality on the Loop 202 near Tempe that weekend. A separate single-vehicle crash on Saturday afternoon closed the westbound Loop 202 ramp to northbound Loop 101. One person was found dead at that scene, according to KTAR News.

Heat compounds the danger

The crashes came as an Extreme Heat Warning was in effect across the Valley. The National Weather Service said temperatures would reach 112 to 116 degrees through Thursday, July 9. Morning lows stayed in the 80s and 90s in the Phoenix metro area.

A vehicle fire in those temperatures creates immediate risk for anyone trapped inside. Fire crews from the area responded to the Sunday crash along with DPS troopers.

The identities of the two victims have not been released. DPS said next of kin are being notified.

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