2 Dead In Fiery Crash On Route 21 In Belleville
BELLEVILLE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Authorities now say two people were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on Route 21 in Belleville.
The crash happened just before 7:30 p.m. Monday.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office said a tractor-trailer collided with two cars on the southbound side of Route 21.
The tractor-trailer hit the median and then flipped, trapping a car underneath and igniting a fire. The truck and one of the cars burst into flames.
Nicole Decaito works at the shopping plaza next to Route 21 and heard the crash. She said a car cut off the truck.
"All I saw was a car going ahead and him screeching against the guard rail," she said. "You heard just this loud metal against metal screeching all the way through."
She took video of the fire tearing through the truck. The flames could be seen for miles.
Decaito said the driver was running back and forth begging for help.
"He jumped out of the car and we heard him screaming, 'They're there! They're under there, they're under there,'" she said.
Two people inside one of the cars were pronounced dead, authorities said. The drivers of the other car and the tractor-trailer were not hurt.
The truck is owned by G & A Transport out of North Bergen. The driver was standing with police and emergency crews after the crash.
His boss, Camilo Rubio, talked to the driver on the phone and raced to the scene.
"He was very scared, he's shaking," said Rubio. "He's very scared. I think he was crying."
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
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