Investigators survey the scene of a multi-vehicle accident that killed multiple people on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, on westbound Interstate 70 just west of Bonner Springs. (Keith Myers/The Kansas City Star via AP)

Authorities have released the names of the five people killed in a fiery crash involving six vehicles Tuesday afternoon on the Kansas Turnpike near Bonner Springs.

According to a preliminary crash report from the Kansas Turnpike Authority, released Wednesday, those killed were:

• Sheldon H. Cohen, 83, of Topeka, who was driving a Buick Lacrosse, and passenger Virginia Cohen, 79, also of Topeka.

• Ricardo Mireles, 38, of Topeka, who was driving a Ford Taurus.

• Teresa J. Butler, 61, of Urbana, Ill., who was driving a GMC Terrain, and passenger Karen Lynn Kennedy, 63, of New Palestine, Ind.

The crash occurred shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the turnpike’s westbound lanes near milepost 218. The spot — within the Kansas Turnpike zone of Interstate 70 — is near Bonner Springs and about 2 miles east of the Kansas Turnpike’s eastern terminal, according to the report.

A semitrailer crested a slight hill and, for an unknown reason, the driver “perceived the other traffic late” and crashed into multiple vehicles that were slowing and stopped for construction ahead, according to the Turnpike Authority’s preliminary report.

The semi first hit the GMC Terrain, then the Buick Lacrosse, the Ford Taurus and another commercial truck, which in turn was pushed into the sixth vehicle, a Chevrolet Avalanche, according to the report. A fire ignited between the semi, the Ford Taurus and the other commercial truck, the report said.

The drivers of the second commercial truck and the Avalanche were not injured, according to the report.

The driver of the semitrailer that crashed into the other vehicles was a 56-year-old Houston man, according to the report. He was listed as having “possible” injuries, according to the report.

Turnpike spokeswoman Rachel Bell said the semi driver was taken to a hospital but that she did not have information about his condition on Wednesday.

Bell said she could not answer whether authorities were considering criminal charges. She said the crash remains under investigation by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The crash is believed to be the Turnpike’s deadliest in recent years, possibly ever.

“Several years ago we had some accidents that involved four people, but five is definitely the most that I can remember,” Bell said.

The accident temporarily closed Interstate 70 completely Tuesday afternoon. One lane of eastbound lanes reopened about 4:30 p.m. All lanes did not reopen until around midnight, according to a post on the Kansas Turnpike Twitter account.