MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) - A tractor-trailer caught on fire, killing the driver, Thursday morning, after he crashed into a tree and power lines.
According to police, a large 18-wheeler collided with a tree and power lines on Miramar Boulevard near Red Road. Officials said this is a single-vehicle accident and confirmed the driver died on the scene.
Miramar Fire-Rescue said they received the first call reporting the crash at around 8:29 a.m.
Witnesses said they tried getting the driver out of the tractor-trailer but were unsuccessful. “It was an intense fireball,” said one witness, Darrell Jefferson. “They said it was a loud explosion when it reached the power lines, as well. I’m not sure exactly what happened. Did he fall asleep, or was it slippery roads? But it’s never good when you lose a life.”
The cause of the crash remains unknown.
“I noticed that the truck body was actually to the left of the axle, so you can tell the impact, and that Oak tree was real solid, and it’s kind of devastating, you know,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson said people in a nearby complex could hear the impact.
Ieashia Crawford, who lives nearby, said she heard a loud “pop.”
“Suddenly I heard something pop, really loud, like a loud pop, and then the lights flickered,” Crawford said.
I saw the tractor trailer had hit a tree. The cab was completely on fire,” another witness, Rich Bachman, said, “and I knew right away that he didn’t get out.”
Miramar Police shutdown Red Road from Pembroke Road to Miramar Boulevard as crews worked to restore power in the area and clear the scene. The road was finally reopened at around 3:30 p.m., when the wreckage was moved to the side of the road.
“It’s bad. It’s really bad, and I feel sorry for the driver,” Crawford said.
Officials have not identified the driver.
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