3 killed in fiery crash involving tanker carrying jet fuel on highway, PA cops say
UPDATE: Police have confirmed a third person died in a fiery crash involving a tanker truck, a work van and a sedan. The body of a passenger inside a work van that stopped to help a vehicle with a flat tire was found at the scene, police told KYW-TV and WCAU.
The original story is below.
Two people are dead and another is hospitalized after a tanker truck carrying jet fuel crashed into two vehicles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, authorities told news outlets.
It happened in Worcester Township around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, WCAU reported.
A vehicle in the far right lane of traffic got a flat tire and came to a complete stop. A second vehicle pulled up behind it, also stopping, and put its hazard lights on, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper William Butler told WPVI.
A tanker truck carrying jet fuel was unable to stop in time and slammed into the two vehicles, state police told WTXF.
A large fire broke out following the crash, according to first responders.
The driver of the tanker truck and the driver of the second vehicle died at the scene, authorities told WPVI. The driver of the vehicle with a flat tire was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries, the outlet reported.
Traffic was backed up for hours while crews worked to contain the fire and clear the scene, according to WCAU.
“My God. Debris all over the place. What happened here?” Hector Lucena, a driver passing by the scene, said in a video posted on Facebook. “Goodness gracious.”
Officials had not released the identities of the victims as of the morning of Sunday, Oct. 22.
This story was originally published October 22, 2023 at 10:55 AM with the headline "3 killed in fiery crash involving tanker carrying jet fuel on highway, PA cops say."
