Traffic on East U.S. Highway 290 was brought to a near standstill last night as first responders swarmed to the scene of a harrowing three-vehicle collision. The pileup, occurring near the intersection with FM 973, involved five individuals, including two children. According to Austin-Travis County EMS, multiple ambulances rushed to the scene as injuries ranged from non-life-threatening to critically severe.
Details from the chaotic scene filtered in as the responders worked tirelessly to triage and transport the injured. The first ambulance departed for Dell Children's Hospital with three patients, two of them children, saddled with potentially serious injuries. Reports indicated that a second ambulance carried an adult with critical, life-threatening injuries to Dell Seton. As families await updates on their loved ones, the resulting traffic stretches back for miles, turning the highway into an unwitting vigil of headlights and quiet radios.
3 vehicle collision ~12000blk E US Hwy 290 EB (20:31 x-st FM 973) Reported 3-vehicle collision w/5 reported patients. #ATCEMS on-scene w/2nd ambulance & Commander responding. Expect #ATXTraffic delays in the area. Avoid if possible. #MoveOverSlowDown if in the area. MTF pic.twitter.com/h3QbzEE4vN
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) November 26, 2023
As the night unfolded, traffic reporters urged drivers to exercise the utmost caution, echoing the #MoveOverSlowDown campaign to allow emergency services to operate safely. "Expect #ATXTraffic delays in the area," ATCEMS initially warned on Twitter, "Avoid if possible." An update followed swiftly as the scene's severity became clear and the third ambulance made its way to the hospital, carrying two additional adults to Scott & White in Pflugerville, escaping the incident with less serious injuries.
