Dramatic video captured an unbelievable crash in Boston Wednesday as an SUV narrowly missed other cars as it headed straight through an overpass, over a concrete barrier, and through metal fencing, plunging to the roadway below.
The Dodge Durango appeared to be going at a high rate of speed on the Massachusetts Avenue Connector as it barreled through the intersection at Frontage Road, hitting a concrete barrier and dropping 40 feet onto a highway ramp from Interstate 93 north to the Massachusetts Turnpike, before catching fire and exploding into flames, leaving one person dead, officials confirmed.
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Firefighters were seen spraying the charred wreck of the vehicle, which was on its roof, on a highway ramp next to train tracks by Widett Circle. Above the wreck, at the end of the Massachusetts Avenue Connector, was the second scene.
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The driver didn't survive the crash, Boston Fire Commissioner Paul Burke confirmed, noting the drop from the roadway above was about 40 feet. No one else was in the SUV.
"It became fully involved in flames and the person inside did not survive the accident," Burke said.
"It's a tragedy, it's very sad," he added.
State police identified the driver on Thursday as 31-year-old Casey Brown, of Plymouth, Mass.
The crash took place about 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, and it was lucky there was no car underneath the falling SUV at the time, Burke said.
“We’re grateful it didn’t land on another vehicle because it’s on an entrance ramp,” he explained.
"We just heard a crash, I thought it was just a crash, maybe on the bridge or something. Then we come over here for coffee time and we just see a bunch of smoke,” said Moises Valencia, who works in the area.
Highway ramps were closed amid the investigation into the fiery wreck. It took firefighters about 20 minutes once they arrived on the scene to douse all the flames.
The crash left behind a mangled mess of fencing and debris, and even took out a traffic signal, which dropped to the ground, as well.
The area, known as Widett Circle, is a busy stretch of roadway that links the Mass. Ave. Connector, Frontage Road, I-93 North and the Mass. Pike, and there are trains operating, as well.
There's no word yet on what caused Brown to go over the barrier. An investigation is ongoing.