Interstate 5 Sinkhole Swallows Truck in Flooded Northwest

A rain-weakened section of Interstate 5 collapsed Thursday morning near Roseburg, Ore., leaving a 100-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep sinkhole that swallowed one tractor-trailer and damaged another on the West’s main north-south freeway.

Both drivers walked away with minor injuries, but another motorist wasn’t so lucky.

A third truck that swerved to avoid the chasm ran over the foot of the motorist, who had left his pickup truck to wave down traffic. His foot had to be amputated.

The freeway was closed in both directions for hours after the sinkhole dropped part of the northbound lane into the South Umpqua River. Southbound lanes later reopened, and northbound traffic was diverted along U.S. Highway 99. Authorities said repairs could take a month.

Water pouring off Mt. Nebo, a rock outcropping on the south side of the highway, combined with high river levels had undermined the soil beneath the highway, creating the sinkhole, said Sue D’Agnese, a geologist with the state Transportation Department.

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber declared emergencies in Lane, Douglas and Coos counties.

In Washington, Gov. Mike Lowry declared a state of emergency in Spokane County.

Tens of thousands of people shivered without electricity Thursday after a severe, early-season ice storm snapped trees and power lines.

The death toll rose to at least 10 in the two states as a man and woman perished in their Spokane Valley trailer. A charcoal grill they were using to keep themselves warm ignited a fire.

Seven others have been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, and authorities warned people not to improvise heating systems using charcoal.

In the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, area, 48,000 customers of Washington Water Power Co. remained without electricity as overnight temperatures dipped into the teens.

There were 556 people in seven Red Cross shelters Wednesday night, said Spokane County sheriff’s spokesman David Wiyrick.

Utilities rushed to rebuild an electrical system heavily damaged by the ice storm Tuesday night.

“It’s like going door to door to restore power,” said Pat Lynch, a spokesman for Washington Water Power.