29 Injured, 13 Hospitalized After Tractor-Trailer Causes Chain-Reaction Collision with 18 Vehicles on Florida Highway

More than two dozen people were injured in a massive chain-reaction crash involving 18 vehicles on Florida’s Interstate 95 in Miami-Dade.

Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials said the accident happened around 11:25 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28, in the southbound lanes of I-95 near Ives Dairy Road, according to NBC Miami, Local 10 News, and the Miami Herald. A total of 29 people were hurt, including 13 who were taken to hospitals.

The crash began when a tractor-trailer heading south on I-95 failed to stop and slammed into traffic, FHP Lt. Alex Camacho told Local 10 News.

“As a result, the tractor trailer collided into several vehicles causing a chain reaction of crashes,” Camacho explained.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said 29 people needed treatment after the wreck, with 13 taken to nearby hospitals. One adult was listed as a trauma alert patient, NBC Miami reported. Nine adults and three children were also hospitalized, though most had minor injuries, Camacho told Local 10 News.

Sixteen others were checked at the scene but didn’t need further care, according to NBC Miami.

Luis Rodriguez, who witnessed the crash on his way home, told NBC Miami it was a frightening scene.

“You could hear tires screeching, you could hear banging, crashing, you could smell the burnt in the air,” he said. “The Miami-Dade Police Department Fire Rescue, highway troopers, everyone came into play so quickly. They responded in a matter of minutes.”

“Driving by, all you could see is destroyed cars, trucks, and people being carried out on stretchers,” Rodriguez later told Local 10 News. “[It] almost looked like a movie scene.”

The southbound lanes of I-95 were shut down overnight due to a fuel spill, and traffic was redirected onto Ives Dairy Road, Local 10 News reported. The roadway reopened around 6:20 a.m.

The truck driver has not been identified. Authorities have not confirmed what caused the crash, but Camacho told Local 10 News the driver will face charges.