Fatal crash
KAUFMAN COUNTY — The long Memorial Day weekend started with a horrific accident Friday evening on Interstate 20 in Kaufman County that killed at least three people and left four others hurt.
Two 18-wheelers, a sport utility vehicle and a sedan were involved in the fiery wreck in the eastbound lanes of the freeway at 6:20 p.m.
Investigators said the chain reaction accident started when one of the big rigs rear-ended the SUV. The SUV exploded in a fireball, but it kept going — first hitting a Toyota sedan and then plowing into another 18-wheeler.
A witness said at least one person was thrown from the wreckage.
The Kaufman County Sheriff's office said three people were killed. Three of the injured were taken to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas for treatment; a fourth person who was seriously burned was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital.
The identities of the victims were not available.
Investigators worked through the night to try and determine what happened. The eastbound lanes of I-20 remained shut down at 10 p.m. Friday and traffic was backed up for 15 miles.
E-mail mdiaz@wfaa.com
