A major collision involving three vehicles brought traffic on Interstate 40 eastbound to a standstill Thursday evening near the 360-mile marker at Buttermilk Road.

The crash, which occurred around 6 p.m., prompted authorities to temporarily shut down all eastbound lanes as emergency responders treated patients ejected onto the roadway. Westbound traffic experienced severe delays due to rubbernecking.

Two individuals sustained serious injuries and were transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. One patient was airlifted from a nearby industrial park by Lifestar, while the second was rushed to the hospital via Roane County Ambulance. Multiple emergency units responded to the scene. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is currently investigating the cause of the accident.