Atlanta

5-car crash ends with dump truck landing on woman's car, bursting into flames

ATLANTA — Police are investigating after a dump truck burst into flames after landed on top of another car during a five-car crash. Miraculously, no one was seriously hurt.

The crash happened at West Marietta Street and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard.

Channel 2's Tom Regan was at the scene, where he learned the dump truck went off an embankment, crashed through a retaining wall and landed on a woman's car before it caught fire. The woman narrowly escaped.

Regan talked to Katrina Thomas, who said she's amazed she survived.

"I heard a boom and then I saw the truck fly over and (it) landed on my car," Thomas said.

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Moments earlier, the truck was hit by a car trying to avoid a chain collision down the street.

Regan also talked to the truck driver, who said he tried to stop but couldn't.

"Once we made contact, the truck was jarred and it was hard to get control," Sean Nixon told Regan. "The whole time I'm trying to pump on the brakes and slam on them."

The impact caused the diesel fuel tank to blow after the truck came to a stop. Nixon said the flames quickly spread into the cab.

"I just snatched the door handle and jumped through the fire," he said.

Thomas' car, which she had just bought, was pinned under the truck, but she thought quick and was able to get out as it started to burn, too.

"I unfastened my seat belt and took off running," Thomas said.

Officials are piecing together what happened to determine who is at fault, but say they are glad no one was seriously hurt.

"We're glad everyone is ok, with some minor injuries with all the damage caused here this morning," Sgt. Cortez Stafford with the Atlanta Fire Department said.