Five nursing students tragically died early on Wednesday in a chain-reaction crash in southeast Georgia that authorities said began when a tractor-trailer failed to slow down and smashed into stop-and-go traffic . Those killed were traveling on Interstate 16 near Savannah in two passenger vehicles mangled by the crash . The tractor-trailer plowed into an SUV , then rolled over a small passenger car that burst into flames , said Sgt . 1st Class Chris Nease of the Georgia State Patrol . The big truck came to a halt after slamming into the back of a tanker . Scroll down for video . Tragedy : A Georgia state trooper works the scene of a deadly crash in which five nursing students from Georgia Southern University died Wednesday morning . Victims : Abbie Deloach ( left ) , of Savannah , and Emily Clark , of Powder Springs , ( right ) were among the five young women killed in the horrific crash . Sad : Caitlynn Baggett ( left ) , of Millen , and Catherine McKay Pittman , of Alpharetta , ( right ) were also killed . Terrible loss : Leesburg woman Morgan Bass was also killed in the horrific crash . All five of the dead were nursing students at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro , about 30 miles from the crash site . St. Joseph's/ Candler Health System said the students were commuting to St. Joseph 's Hospital in Savannah for their last day of clinical training of the school year . 'The loss of any student , especially in a tragic way , is particularly painful , ' Brooks Keel , president of Georgia Southern , said in a statement . 'Losing five students is almost incomprehensible . ' The Georgia State Patrol said three people also were injured and seven vehicles were damaged . The crash occurred at about 6 a.m. in Bryan County , about 20 miles west of Savannah . Traffic was heavy at that hour because an unrelated wreck about a mile ahead that forced motorists to slow , Nease said . 'Traffic was sort of stop-and-go when the tractor-trailer came along and struck one of the passenger vehicles in the rear , ' Nease said . 'We 're still trying to piece it all together . It 's a terrible day . ' The university said the students were all Georgia residents in their junior year - Emily Clark of Powder Springs , Morgan Bass of Leesburg , Abbie Deloach of Savannah , Catherine Pittman of Alpharetta and Caitlyn Baggett of Millen . Ages were n't given . Hospital officials said they were wrapping up clinical training for the year . Mangled : The five women , all of them juniors , were driving separately in two vehicles that were both mangled in the accident . Terrible accident : The Georgia State Patrol said three people also were injured and seven vehicles were damaged . 'You could tell they really loved what they did , ' Sherry Danello , the hospital 's chief nursing officer , said in a statement . 'They did n't just go through the task , they really connected to the patients . ' The crash halted some motorists for more than six hours as road crews and tow trucks cleared the wreckage . Even when traffic began moving again , troopers kept a 6-mile stretch of eastbound I-16 closed as they investigated . Nease said the driver of the tractor-trailer had not been cited as investigators worked to determine exactly what happened . The driver 's name was not immediately released . State troopers said weather did n't seem to be a factor . 'There was no fog or smoke . It was clear as a bell , ' said Sgt . Chris Rodewolt of the State Patrol . 'We did have heavy , heavy traffic . ' Two mangled passenger vehicles rested Wednesday at the bottom of an embankment beside the interstate . In front of them , just off the highway , was a tractor-trailer with its cab smashed into the back of a tanker truck . It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of a tragedy that took place this morning . Several Georgia Southern students died and two were injured in an early morning crash on I-16 eastbound near Savannah . We are unable to release the names of these students at this time because we are awaiting notification to families . Every one of our students contributes in no small measure , to the Eagle Nation . The loss of any student , especially in a tragic way , is particularly painful . Losing five students is almost incomprehensible . Our hearts go out to the families , friends and classmates of these students . The University flag will fly at half-staff Thursday in their memory . Memorial arrangements are pending . Let me urge those particularly touched by this tragedy to avail themselves of counseling services , and I urge all members of the University community to support each other during this time . Source : WBTW .
The women were traveling near Savannah in two vehicles mangled by the when a tractor-trailer plowed into an SUV , then rolled over a small car . Killed were Emily Clark , Morgan Bass , Abbie Deloach , Catherine Pittman and Caitlyn Baggett - All juniors at Georgia Southern University . The Georgia State Patrol said three people also were injured and seven vehicles were damaged .