Fiery crash on snow-covered road kills three

Whether people are ready to admit it yet or not, it's that time of year again. Snow has already been falling on Wisconsin roads, and ahead of us lie months of potentially bad weather. Unfortunately, that can mean an uptick in serious or deadly car accidents. And that should give drivers pause.

One of the first fatal accidents of the winter season occurred yesterday morning near Lessor on snow-covered Wisconsin 156. Several people were riding in a Chevy van near Silver Lane at about 8:20 a.m. The van apparently skidded and collided with a truck driven by a 56-year-old man from Appleton.

The van caught fire upon impact and was still on fire when rescue crews arrived. Three people riding in the van were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the county coroner.

The other three people in the van, as well as the truck driver, were taken to the hospital for medical treatment. According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, the truck driver's injuries were not life-threatening. The conditions of the other van passengers were not released.

After the crash, authorities closed the highway for several hours as they continued to investigate.

The area was under a winter storm warning at the time of the crash, meaning significant snow was forecast. The tragic accident serves as a sobering reminder to Wisconsin drivers to slow down and drive cautiously when road conditions warrant it. Sometimes people don't realize how dangerous slippery roads are, and that can be a very costly mistake.

Source: Green Bay Press Gazette, "3 killed, 4 injured in Shawano County van crash," Charles Davis, Nov. 9, 2011