Pike Crash Ends In Fiery Death

Tools

Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

By CBS 3 Springfield News

A man is dead after a late night fire on the Mass Turnpike. Police say an unidentified man was driving eastbound down I-90 around 10:30 Friday night when he crossed over to the westbound lanes and collided head on with a tractor trailer.

The accident unfolded in front of the Blandford Plaza, where hundreds witnessed the fiery crash.

It was a normal late night drive for Joe Marino. The stretch of Pike in Blandford is one he's crossed hundreds of times. Late Friday night, his ride came to a halt when he saw a fireball erupt in the night sky.

"A wall of fire 100 yards. I've never seen anything like that," Marino says.

His amateur photos may be grainy, but to see it in person, Marino has only three words:

"It was unbelievable," he says.

Police say the victim, an unidentified man, was driving his Pontiac Sunfire eastbound when somehow he crossed over into the westbound lanes colliding with a tractor trailer.

"I thought there had to be several people dead," Marino says.

There was only one victim. Marino speculates that his gas tank exploded almost immediately, sending the fire soaring so high, it blocked any views of the other side of the Pike.

"Tractor trailer drove right through the fireball and continued down eastbound about 100 yards and a wall of flames followed the tractor trailer," he says.

The driver of the truck is 52 year old John Chamberlain, from Georgia. He's doing ok.

The victim's name isn't being released pending notification of his family.

Monday, Feb 8 at 12:49 PM Jack wrote ...

Great Story...Great pictures...far better then the other stations.

Saturday, Feb 6 at 8:18 PM riverman wrote ...

great story !!!.. great job on the sensationalism !!!!....Im sure the family will always thank you for this disturbing story of there loved ones last moment!!!!..." drove his car into the rigs teeth"...grow up your , your not playing a video game !!!.....thanks, im going back to channel 40...

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

CBS 3 Springfield and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

More Good Stuff

Advertisement

Weather

Icon
Current Temp 53.0 °F
Fair
Wind : Southwest at 5.8 MPH (5 KT)
Humidity : 42 %
Pressure : 1007.4 mb
More Weather

Weather

More Weather

On Demand

Stock Quotes

WHYN NewsTalk 560
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.