Five people were killed early Sunday after an SUV on state Route 512 crashed into a post that supports an overpass in the area, according to the Washington State Patrol.
One person was ejected from the vehicle on impact and died, and then the silver-colored SUV caught fire, killing four others, Trooper John Dattilo said.
Details on the occupants were not immediately available, he said. Identifications and causes of death will be determined by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.
About 4:20 a.m., the SUV was headed east on SR 512 near Puyallup when the driver drove off the road and crashed into one of the posts that supports the overpass at 31st Avenue Southwest.
All lanes of eastbound traffic are blocked, Dattilo said. Traffic is being diverted to the 31st Avenue exit. From there, drivers can get back on eastbound 512 or take Meridian Road to another destination, he said.
The eastbound lanes of the highway are expected to be closed for several more hours because the agency's Major Accident Investigation Team has been activated for the investigation.
