SHADYSIDE — Authorities closed the north and southbound lanes of Ohio 7 late Wednesday in the wake of what a dispatcher termed a “very serious crash.”

An Ohio State Highway Patrol dispatcher confirmed shortly before 11 p.m. that a crash had occurred on the highway between Bellaire and Shadyside. She said the accident was reported at 10:22 p.m. and, to her knowledge, involved two vehicles. She said Ohio 7 was closed in both directions as a result but declined to provide more information, noting the incident was still under investigation.

Numerous unconfirmed reports indicated that a fatality resulted from the crash. Some witnesses told our staff that a medical helicopter was brought to the scene. Those individuals also indicated that the OR&W Fire District responded, along with the Bellaire Police Department and the patrol. Bellaire Police Chief Dick Flanagan could not be reached for comment by press time.

Multiple social media posts provided much of the same information.