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At Least One Dead In Semi Crash On Route 21 In Belleville

BELLEVILLE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- At least one person was killed Monday evening, when a semi-trailer truck and another vehicle collided on Route 21 in Belleville, New Jersey.

The tractor-trailer and the vehicle collided in the southbound lanes of Route 21, between exits 6 and 7, in Belleville, authorities told CBS2.

CBS2 has learned at least one person was killed. Information about fatalities or injuries was not immediately available.

All lanes on Route 21 were closed following the accident as a frantic effort was made to save the people inside, CBS2's Jessica Schneider reported.

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A crash shut down Route 21 in Belleville, New Jersey on Monday, Nov. 3. The resulting fire was visible from the football field at North Arlington High School. (Credit: ‏@lyssanikki)

The raging fire that resulted from the crash was visible from the North Arlington High School football field, where students were gathered Monday evening.

Nicole DeCaito works at a shopping plaza next to Route 21, and heard the crash. She said that a car cut the truck off.

"All I saw was a car going ahead and seeing him screeching against the guard rail. You just heard this loud metal against metal screeching all the way through," she said.

A driver was seen 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.

The truck is owned by G&A Transport out of North Bergen, and the driver was standing with police and emergency crews after the crash. His boss raced to the scene.

"He was very scared. He's shaking. He's very scared. I think he was crying," Camilo Rubio, G7A Transport, said.

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