UPDATE: Bypass reopens after fiery accident

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River Falls firefighters work to extinguish a car fire that resulted after a multi-vehicle accident on the Hwy.35/65 bypass near Division St. Monday morning. Bob Burrows photo

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Two people were taken to River Falls Area Hospital following a fiery three-vehicle accident that shut down the Hwy. 35/65 bypass for over an hour Monday morning in River Falls.

The accident occurred at 8:25 a.m. at the intersection of Hwy. 35/65 and County Road M (Division St.).

According to River Falls Police Chief Roger Leque, a vehicle driven by Algot H. Anderson, age 79, of Prescott, attempted to turn south onto the highway when it collided with a northbound vehicle driven by Brianna P. Vogl, 23, of Prescott. Vogl’s vehicle then collided with a southbound vehicle driven by Jason C. Anderson, 37, of River Falls.

Vogl’s vehicle ended up on the shoulder of the southbound lane of the bypass and caught fire. When rescue and fire personnel arrived, all three drivers were out of their vehicles. Algot Anderson and Vogl were taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

Southbound traffic on the bypass was diverted at the Main Street exit on the north end of town while northbound traffic was redirected off the bypass at County Road M. The highway reopened shortly after 9:30 a.m.

River Falls Police, River Falls Fire and River Falls Ambulance personnel were assisted at the scene by the Wisconsin State Patrol and Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies.

Tags: area news, river falls, news, breakingnews, accident