SouthernWorldwide.com – Four American citizens sustained minor injuries in a devastating highway pileup in Mexico that resulted in at least 10 fatalities and approximately 10 other individuals injured.
The catastrophic incident occurred on Sunday when a tractor-trailer collided with multiple vehicles on a major highway in the western state of Jalisco. The Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit confirmed the details of the crash.
While official reports from the Secretariat indicated 10 deaths, separate statements from Mexico’s Army, Air Force, and National Guard cited nine fatalities. The discrepancy in the reported death toll remains unclarified.
Jalisco Civil Protection reported that the four Americans involved in the crash suffered only minor injuries. They were promptly transported to a local hospital for treatment and observation.
“Four patients in minor condition, all U.S. citizens, were transferred to the Arboledas Hospital in Guadalajara by a private ambulance from the highway,” a statement from Jalisco Civil Protection read.
Further details released by Reuters indicated that two of the individuals who perished in the accident were minors. The identities of the deceased have not been fully disclosed.
Among the injured were two members of the National Guard, who sustained serious injuries. They were also taken to a hospital in Guadalajara for urgent medical attention, according to Reuters.
Disturbing videos circulating on social media platforms depicted several vehicles engulfed in flames along the highway connecting Guadalajara and Tepic. The inferno sent thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky, illustrating the severity of the disaster.
Mexican authorities have stated that the initial cause of the crash appears to be a brake failure on a tractor-trailer. This vehicle then slammed into a queue of vehicles that had stopped due to an earlier incident.
“According to initial reports, a trailer reportedly suffered a failure in its braking system and ended up crashing into several vehicles that were stopped due to a prior incident,” Mexico’s Army, Air Force, and National Guard announced via a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The initial accident reportedly involved a rear-end collision between two tractor-trailers. As emergency responders arrived at the scene to manage the first accident, a third tractor-trailer collided with the existing wreckage.
This secondary impact resulted in the complete destruction by fire of three private vehicles and two tractor-trailer trucks. Authorities confirmed that two other private vehicles and a National Guard unit sustained material damage.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene and worked diligently to extinguish the blaze. The fire was eventually brought under control, allowing for further investigation into the incident.
Local news outlet El Financiero reported that the driver of the tractor-trailer involved in the secondary collision was detained by the National Guard. The driver is expected to face questioning regarding the events leading to the crash.
