A tragic incident unfolded on a North Miami Beach road yesterday when a multi-vehicle accident led to a fiery scene and the death of one driver. According to 7News, a Tesla was involved in a collision with another vehicle near Northeast 163rd Street and 28th Avenue, eventually striking a pole and bursting into flames.
Witnesses at the scene recounted the chaos as the electric vehicle caught fire with one person still trapped inside; a loud pop followed, after which, fragments scattered, with bystanders attempting to comprehend the gravity of the situation. A witness, Luciano Barreto, told 7News, "I heard someone on the phone say, ‘There’s someone in there.’ I felt it inside after that, oh, my God, I’m shaking, once I heard there’s someone inside." Firefighters arrived to find the Tesla fully engulfed, and despite their efforts, the individual inside the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.
In addition to the fatality, the crash led to injuries among other motorists. Two individuals from the other involved vehicle were rushed to a local hospital following the collision, their conditions remain undisclosed as relayed by 7News. Onlookers expressed sheer shock, with one saying, "I got really scared, I called 911 and all of the units are here right now and I just hope that person is alright and I’m praying that individual rests in peace," in an interview obtained by the same source.
A concurrent report by CBS News Miami confirmed that the driver of the vehicle that caught fire was alone and was declared deceased at the scene, the name of the deceased has not been released pending notification of next of kin, while another person was transported to the hospital and a third was being assessed by officials. The crash, which occurred around 4 p.m. near Northeast 29th Avenue and Northeast 34th Avenue, remains under active investigation by the North Miami Beach police, who have called on the public to avoid the area and follow detour directives.
The westbound lanes of 163rd Street were subject to closure for several hours, creating significant delays, with one lane remaining impeded late into yesterday evening, as authorities continued their work on-site. Police will provide updates as more details of the investigation come to light.
