BLOOMSBURY – A toddler and a 4-year-old boy were among seven people injured after a truck went out of control and plowed through traffic on Route 78 on Monday afternoon.

The chain reaction began at 4:25 p.m. in the eastbound lanes near Exit 7 in Hunterdon County. That's where a 2019 Kentworth tractor-trailer rear-ended a Mazda CX-5, pushing into a guardrail on the left side of the interstate. A tire that flew from the car landed on a Kia Sorrento.

The Mazda's driver, Abbie G. Stross, 35, of Mount Laurel, and the truck driver, Michael L. Ansley, 50, of Athens, Georgia, were seriously injured. The 1- and 4-ear-old boys in the car were moderately injured, State Police said.

The truck, meanwhile, kept moving. It rear-ended a 2007 Freightliner, then pushed a 2015 Freightliner box truck into a guardrail, and finally struck the 2007 Freightliner a second time.

No charges have been filed and the cause of the cause remains under investigation.

Medical helicopter lands on Route 78 following a multi vehicle and truck crash 7/25/22
Medical helicopter lands on Route 78 following a multi vehicle and truck crash 7/25/22 (Stewartsville Volunteer Fire Company)
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Full closure during the afternoon commute

The eastbound lanes of Route 78 were closed for over three hours. Both directions were closed for a time to allow a medical helicopter to land.

Several hours earlier a dump truck overturned in the westbound lanes near Exit 11  (Route 173) in Union Township, which also caused delays.

An overturned dump truck on Route 78 eastbound 7/26/22
An overturned dump truck on Route 78 eastbound 7/26/22 (Robert Thorsen)
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Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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