7 killed, 8 injured in crash, explosion on Florida highway

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided and spilled diesel fuel across a Florida highway Thursday, sparking a massive fire that killed seven people and injured at least eight others, authorities said.

The wreck happened on southbound Interstate 75 about a mile south of Alachua, near Gainesville.

The flames were fed by about 50 gallons  of diesel, authorities said.

Authorities initially said six had died but late Thursday night revealed a seventh victim had perished.

At least eight others were hospitalised, some with critical injuries, the Gainesville Sun reported.

A spokesperson said early Thursday evening that five of the accident victims who died were in a passenger van, and another person who died was in one of the tractor-trailers.

Vinnie DeVita said he was driving south at the time and narrowly escaped the crash -- he said it saw it happen in the rearview mirror, immediately behind him, according to a report by WKMG .

“If I had stepped on the brake when I heard the noise, undoubtedly, I would have been in that accident,” DeVita said.

“And then within probably 15 to 20 seconds of it all, it exploded. I mean, just a ball of flames.”

Emergency crews extinguished the fire, which was so intense that authorities said it damaged part of the road.

The highway patrol is investigating the crash as a traffic homicide, which is routine in nature.

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