Fatal Traffic Accident on E18 in Larvik
One child has died and several others were injured after a vehicle carrying eight people veered off the E18 in Larvik, Norway, on Thursday morning. The accident involved two adults and six children, all of school age, according to police reports confirmed by outlets including NRK. Store styrker rykket ut til ulykken som fikk tragisk utfall.
The vehicle, which was traveling northbound, left the road and traveled up a slope before rolling over and landing in a ditch, according to police video analysis. Authorities received the initial report of the incident at 6:27 a.m. local time. The car reportedly spun around on its roof before landing on its wheels in the ditch, with police suspecting it may have rotated multiple times.
Medical Response and Status of the Injured
One child was transported by air ambulance to Ullevål hospital with critical injuries but is now confirmed to be out of danger. The remaining six passengers were transported to the emergency department at the Hospital in Vestfold (Tønsberg). According to Sør-Øst Police District operations manager Ståle Fuglaas, the family is receiving follow-up care from the hospital’s crisis team. All other individuals involved in the crash are also reported to be out of immediate danger, VG reported. Upon arrival, emergency personnel attempted to provide life-saving first aid to those involved. A redningshelikopter was also dispatched to the scene alongside multiple air ambulances.
Video Evidence Confirms Single Vehicle Accident on Closed E18
The E18 remains closed in the northbound direction between the Bommestad intersection and the Ringdal intersection to facilitate investigations by police crime scene technicians and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s accident investigation team.
While authorities initially suspected a collision involving two vehicles, video evidence confirmed this was a single-vehicle accident. Police have secured necessary samples from the driver as part of their investigation into the cause. While the specific cause of the crash remains under investigation, police noted that road conditions in the area were slippery, according to The East Coast Daily Newspaper. Regarding the duration of the closure, the Veitrafikksentralen Sør stated it is difficult to provide an exact timeline, noting only that it could take time.
Police Withhold Municipality of Residence Pending Family Notification
The affected family resides in the Agder region, as confirmed by The Friend of the Fatherland. Local police have withheld the specific municipality of residence to ensure all relatives are properly notified before further details are released.
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has advised motorists to detour via the old E18 (County Road 256) while the main route remains closed. Significant traffic delays are expected for several hours as investigators continue their work at the site. For those traveling toward Oslo, officials suggest taking exit 49 at the Moheim intersection in Porsgrunn and driving via Siljan.
Authorities Withhold Specific Reopening Time for Closed Road
Why did police initially report two vehicles were involved? Police initially received reports suggesting two vehicles were involved in the accident. How long will the E18 remain closed? The Norwegian Public Roads Administration and the police have not provided a specific reopening time.