Two Dolton sisters were awoken early Saturday morning when a deadly crash caused a fiery explosion on the Bishop Ford freeway.
A semitrailer, a Chevrolet Impala and a Jeep SUV were involved in the collision. Both the driver and passenger of the semitrailer died at the scene, state police officials said.
Cell phone video of the fire showed flames engulfing the semi and bridge above the interstate.
Gloria Wells, 16, who lives nearby, was asleep when she heard the explosion.
“It was really, really terrifying,” she said. Wells said the noise was ‘so loud it shook her house,’ and also woke up her 11-year-old sister.
While the accident remains under investigation, a witness told NBC 5 he saw vehicles racing down the highway before the crash. As he approached the scene, he realized the vehicles were involved in the accident.
The driver said he tried to pull the victims from the crash, but the flames were too intense.
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Police haven’t determined if any of the drivers were racing.
The Bishop Ford was closed for hours following the crash, but had reopened by Saturday evening, state police said.
As for 16-year-old Gloria Wells, she’s urging drivers to take more precautions on the highway. Gloria recently lost a friend in a separate crash.
“Imagine just thinking that’s your friend, and seeing the car just smooshed up with someone still in it,” she said.
