NEW TAMPA, Fla. — State troopers are investigating an 8-vehicle wreck that happened on I-75 north in New Tampa Wednesday night that killed two people and injured several others.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded to a call of a deadly crash near mile marker 272, north of New Tampa Boulevard, around 6 p.m.
The Pasco Fire Rescue said two people died on scene and six other people were transported to the hospital. Two others were checked out by emergency crews on scene, Pasco Fire Rescue said.
The crush shut down northbound lanes of I-75 in New Tampa for several hours Wednesday night and into Thursday morning before they reopened just before 8 a.m.
The identities of the two deceased victims have not been released yet, pending next-of-kin notification.
According to a crash report, a total of eight vehicles were involved. That included two semis.
The report says as traffic slowed, a semi driver failed to slow down and moved into the center lane in an effort to avoid a collision. The semi then hit the back of a Chevy Equinox, which then hit a Buick Verano, which then hit a BMW.
The semi then continued forward, the report says, and hit the back of a Mercedes and the back of another semi.
The report says the Mercedes became trapped between the two semis as a result and the initial semi came to a final rest on top of it.
As a result, the semi and the Mercedes both became fully engulfed in fire. FHP says both drivers died at the scene.
FHP says the crash remains under investigation.
