Fatal Florida Pileup | Washington Car Accident Lawyer

KOMO News posted this article about a fatal pileup just south of Gainesville, Florida early Sunday morning.

At least 10 people were killed and 18 people were injured on Interstate 75 near the Paynes Prairie area.  The highway was so hazy and smokey that the poor visibility caused a long line of cars and trucks to collide one after the other.  When rescuers first arrived on the scene, the visibility was so bad that they had to listen for screams to locate the victims.

The smoke and haze is believed to have been caused by a nearby brushfire.  A spokeswoman from the Florida Forest Service said the brushfire started Saturday.  At the time of this article, it was unknown if the brushfire had been intentionally set or caused by an accident, as there were no controlled burns or lightening in the area.

The wreckage was devastating.  Cars appeared to have crashed into big rigs, some smashed beneath heavier trucks.  A tractor-trailer was burnt to its skeleton and the rubber of every vehicles' tires had burnt down to their steel belts.  Debris was spread all over the roadway nearly a mile in both directions.

The injured victims were taken to nearby Shands Healthcare at the University of Florida, where 3 of the 6 trauma patients needed surgery, 4 patients remained in the emergency room and 8 patients had been treated and released.  Most injuries were to the head and chest and broken bones.

All 6 lanes of Interstate 75 remained closed throughout the day, as firefighters sprayed foam on the wreckage to extinguish the remaining fires.  At the time of the article, it was unclear as to when the interstate would reopen, as part of the roadway had melted.  In order for the interstate to reopen, transportation inspectors must first sign off on the road to allow traffic again.


The Andrew Kim Law Firm is a personal injury firm in Bellevue that handles personal injury claims all over Western Washington.  If you have been injured in a car accident, truck accident or bus accident, our experienced Bellevue accident lawyer will handle your claim and work to get you a fair and reasonable settlement.  For a free consulation, call us at (425) 289-1990, (253) 682-2000 or (800) 636-3676.