GREEN RIVER, Wyo. — Behind the wheel of a semi truck on February 14, it didn’t take long for Michael Gabbard to realize something was wrong as he approached the Green River, Wyoming tunnels on Interstate 80.

“One of the most tragic things that I've come up on in the 45 years I've been driving a truck,” said Gabbard on Wednesday.

Based in Indianapolis, Gabbard drives through Green River weekly en route to Salt Lake City. He was traveling eastbound on Valentines Day when traffic came to a standstill near the tunnels, with thick black smoke coming out of the westbound tunnel .

"You're sitting there ... just like, a few 100 feet from the tunnel, and you know, there's people inside there that you can’t, nobody can help them,” said Gabbard.

The 26-vehicle crash caused by wet and icy road

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