Southbound I-5 was entirely blocked for hours in Ferndale after a deadly multi-vehicle crash occurred Tuesday. Backups reached more than two miles long, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation, with traffic peaking at approximately 6 p.m. Just after 9 p.m., I-5 fully reopened. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The hours-long closure during evening commute created significant traffic disruption in Whatcom County, forcing drivers to seek alternate routes or wait in extended backups. Whether the fatal crash involved multiple fatalities or a single death, whether weather or road conditions contributed, and whether excessive speed or impaired driving played roles affects both investigation and potential charges if survivors bear responsibility.
The two-mile backup at peak represents roughly 30 to 45 minutes of additional delay for drivers caught in the queue, though those arriving during the closure’s beginning potentially waited far longer. The 6 p.m. peak timing caught evening commuters, dinner-hour travelers, and people heading home from work, maximizing the number of affected drivers compared to crashes occurring during off-peak hours.
The multi-vehicle nature suggests either chain-reaction collision where initial impact caused subsequent crashes, or simultaneous involvement of several vehicles in single incident. Whether the fatal victim was driver, passenger, or pedestrian affects investigation and family notification procedures. The three-plus hour closure indicates complex scene requiring extensive investigation, debris removal, and potentially extraction of victims from vehicles before the roadway could safely reopen.
