Cellphone video, images capture PA Turnpike tanker fire aftermath
BLUE BELL, Pa. (CBS) -- Two people were killed and one injured in a fiery tanker truck crash Saturday morning on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Cellphone video shows the smoky, fiery aftermath of a tanker truck crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Worcester Township.
Drivers passing by were stunned. Chopper 3 shows firefighters using foam to put out the flames.
Pennsylvania State Police said the tragedy unfolded around 11 a.m. when one car started slowing down because a white Acura in front of it had a flat tire.
State police said a tanker truck carrying jet fuel couldn't slow down fast enough and slammed into the cars from behind.
A fire broke out after the collision that killed the tanker truck driver and the driver of the car that slowed down behind the Acura.
The driver of the Acura suffered minor injuries.
All three vehicles were left charred.
"Like oh my God, like I feel so sad for whoever is suffering in there. And like their families," Maya Tort said.
Tort said she was driving toward the crash and shared these photos showing the smoke.
But then traffic came to a standstill. All north and southbound lanes of the turnpike were shut down between the Mid-County Interchange and the Lansdale exit.
Tort said she was trapped in her car for four hours.
"A lot of people were getting out of their cars. It looked like there was a softball team that were like playing catch with each other outside, like getting practice," she said.
One man even got out a cart and started selling pretzels to drivers stuck in the backup.
As traffic was diverted off the turnpike, nearby roads like Dekalb Pike became congested. It took longer for residents to get around.
"Where we are standing now, we're about one mile from my home and it takes me about three minutes. So this way, I had to go all the way around. So it's about a 10 minute ride," John Spolitdack said.
After lengthy closures, all lanes have reopened as of early Sunday morning.
