Fiery crash on Florida highway kills at least seven
Eight other people were taken to the hospital, some with critical injuries, the Gainesville Sun reported.
This image taken from a Florida 511 traffic camera and provided by the Alachua County Fire Rescue, shows a fiery crash along Interstate 75, Thursday, January 3, 2019, about a mile south of Alachua, near Gainesville, Fla.
Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided and spilt diesel fuel across a Florida highway Thursday, sparking a massive fire that killed seven people, authorities said.
The wreck happened on Interstate 75 about a mile (1.6 kilometres) south of Alachua, near Gainesville. The flames were fed by about 50 gallons (189 litres) of diesel, authorities said.
Emergency crews extinguished the fire and said they were treating the crash as a homicide investigation.
The aftermath closed part of the highway in both directions, causing massive delays.
The crash was in the northbound lanes, but southbound lanes were closed to keep a route open for first responders, according to a tweet from the Alachua County Sherriff's office, which said the emergency "required all hands on deck." Authorities warned of a lengthy closure.
Debris including personal property and vehicle parts was scattered across the road, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
A helicopter arrived to search for any victims who may have been in nearby woods when the crash happened.
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