All eastbound lanes of I-24 in Murfreesboro were shut down Saturday morning after a two-vehicle crash left one person dead and sent another to the hospital by helicopter. The crash happened near mile marker 76.6, and one of the vehicles caught fire in the wreck, prompting a dramatic rescue attempt as emergency crews raced to the scene.
According to WKRN News 2, the Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department confirmed one person was killed in the crash and another was flown to a hospital. A bystander and a Tennessee state trooper were involved in a rescue at the burning vehicle, the station reported.
Eastbound Lanes Remain Closed as Crews Work the Scene
Authorities asked drivers to avoid the area entirely while investigators and cleanup crews worked to clear the interstate, warning that significant delays should be expected in the meantime. The station noted it plans to update the story as more information becomes available, and no details on the identities of those involved or the cause of the crash have been released.
Saturday's closure adds to a string of serious incidents along the same stretch of highway over the past year. In July, a separate multi-vehicle crash temporarily shut down part of I-24 near mile marker 76, with Murfreesboro Fire Rescue reporting that at least two vehicles sustained heavy damage, according to a report from WSMV. That crash, unlike Saturday's, produced no critical injuries.
A Pattern of Trouble on a Busy Corridor
Just weeks before that, crews extinguished a semi-truck fire on I-24 near Medical Center Parkway on a Thursday afternoon, which temporarily blocked traffic but caused no injuries, per the same outlet's reporting. The corridor has also seen tragedy stretch into Nashville, where a pedestrian died after being struck by a semi-truck on I-24 East near the Haywood Lane exit on October 19, an incident that closed all eastbound lanes until about 11:30 p.m. that night, as reported by WKRN News 2.
Murfreesboro's stretch of I-24 has proven especially dangerous in recent years. Back in November 2025, a two-vehicle crash near I-840 required extrication efforts to free two trapped people, one of whom was in critical condition, and the interstate was temporarily closed while emergency units responded, according to FOX 17. An earlier fatal crash near Murfreesboro, reported by WSMV, saw the interstate cleared by 10 p.m. after one person was killed.
No information has been released confirming when Saturday's closure will be lifted or when all lanes will reopen. Drivers heading through Murfreesboro on I-24 East should continue to plan for delays and seek alternate routes until officials give the all-clear.
