A two-vehicle collision in Honokaa Tuesday afternoon sent seven people to the hospital.
The accident involving a full-size van and a four-car sedan happened at about 1 p.m. near mile marker 43 on Highway 19, according to a Hawaii Fire Department release.
Six of the injured people involved were able to get out of the vehicles but one person had to be extricated by firefighters. All seven were placed on backboards as a precaution against spinal injury.
One person was taken to Hilo Medical Center by helicopter, two were transported to the same hospital by ambulance. The other four were taken by ambulance to North Hawaii Medical Center. The patients’ conditions were not immediately available.
Big Island police closed the highway until about 7 p.m. because of the accident.
