A crash involving two semis erupted in flames early Friday morning. The accident occurred on I-75, two miles south of Newberry Road. The northbound and southbound lanes of the interstate were shut down for several hours, and were finally reopened at 11:48 a.m.
First responders first received calls about the crash at 3:30 a.m. It was determined that the trucks caught fire because of large fuel loads and diesel fuel tanks in the trucks.
One of the trucks involved was US mail truck and the other was an empty cargo trailer. A representative for the US Postal Service inspection service said the mail truck was en route from Memphis to Tampa. USPS is currently determining how much accountable mail was damaged.
It took Gainesville Fire Rescue and Alachua County Fire Rescue 8,000 gallons of water to extinguish the blaze.
According to the Gainesville Fire Rescue, three people involved in the accident were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. All of the injured drivers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
The unexpected can happen at any time on the roads. Fortunately in this case, the victims were wearing their seatbelts, which likely mitigated any bodily harm.
Remember to always wear a seatbelt when driving and to keep your insurance information on you at all times. If an accident does occur, and you think you have a case, be sure to contact Steven A. Bagen & Associates for a free evaluation.
