Eight people have died after a semi-trailer crashed into a van on a Georgia highway, causing a “chain reaction.” According to PEOPLE, the van caught fire after the accident, leading to four other vehicles getting involved in the crash.
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“Chain Reaction” Crash Kills 8 After Semi-Trailer Smahes Into SUV
The incident occurred around 4:11 PM local time on Monday, October 13, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety. The semi-trailer smashed into a Dodge van in Jackson County on Interstate 85.
In total, six vehicles were involved in the devastating crash. Atlanta News First initially reported that seven people in the Dodge van were pronounced dead at the scene.
Then, AP shared an update that an eighth body was discovered at the fiery crash site. This was according to Deputy Jackson County Coroner Dean Stringer on Tuesday. We don’t currently know where they found the eighth victim’s body.
Atlanta News First also mentioned a burnt cab found at the scene alongside another severely damaged car. The crash caused officials to shut down all northbound lanes on I-85. They stayed closed for hours until around 9:45 PM.
We still don’t know who the victims were in the crash. “Troopers are still trying to identify and confirm the occupants,” said Franka Young, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Public Safety, in a Tuesday afternoon email.
Young also mentioned that the Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is investigating the crash.
This horrific crash has come just months after another similar accident in southern Georgia. A mother and her four children died after a collision caused their SUV to burst into flames.
This happened on April 6 when 27-year-old Reagan Dougan was driving on I-95 with her three sons, ages 9, 4, and 3 months, as well as her 2-year-old daughter. Dougan and her children died in the 6 AM crash inside her rented Jeep SUV.