Holtville, CA – At least 15 people were killed on Tuesday morning in California when the heavily overloaded SUV they were riding in crashed into a tractor trailer that was hauling gravel.
Imperial County Fire Chief Sal Flores said the fire department and the county’s Office of Emergency Services responded to a “mass fatality incident” at 6:16 a.m. on March 2, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
Judy Cruz, managing director of the emergency department at the El Centro Medical Center, said there were 27 passengers in the SUV involved in the wreck, NBC News reported.
The crash occurred near the intersection of Highway 115 at Norrish Road in Holtville in Imperial County.
Fourteen people were pronounced dead at the scene, according to KYMA.
BREAKING: 15 people are dead after a crash in Holtville, CA which is near El Centro. Authorities say 27 people were inside a single SUV that crashed into a gravel truck. pic.twitter.com/grN6U70cZg
— Mac Colson (@MacColsonTV) March 2, 2021
Three victims were airlifted from the scene to trauma centers.
Seven victims were transported to El Centro Medical Center for treatment, KYMA reported.
One of those people died at the hospital.
Two more victims were transported to Pioneers Memorial Hospital, KYMA reported.
The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the wreck, NBC News reported.
⛔MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT⛔
CRASH ACCIDENT DEVELOPING
⤵️8:44AM/PST CHP UPDATE⤵️
FORD SUV vs GRAVEL SEMI-TRUCKMULTIPLE FATALITIES & INJURIES
Holtville, California, Imperial County
Highway 115 & Norrish RdAS PER 👮♂️#POLICE 📻#SCANNER pic.twitter.com/7NEGAVRG6q
— @OneJurorMatters (@OneJurorMatters) March 2, 2021
@jjlkfi the crash near #Holtville #California is in a farming area, on a two lane highway. The SUV could have been packed with farm workers.
— Eddie McCoven (@EddieMcCoven) March 2, 2021
EL CENTRO, Calif. (AP) — Hospital officials: SUV believed to be carrying 27 people crashes into semitruck in Southern California, killing 15.
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) March 2, 2021
⛔MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT⛔
BUS CRASH INTO TRUCK
AT LEAST SEVENTEEN(17) DEAD
NUMEROUS INJURIES
DETAILS DEVELOPING
HOLTVILLE, CALIFORNIA
IMPERIAL COUNTY
HIGHWAY 115 & NORRISH RFAS PER 👮♂️#POLICE 📻#SCANNER#NewsAlert #SpecialReport#HappeningNow https://t.co/jS1MzGpvVI pic.twitter.com/1QAY6u5ePf
— @OneJurorMatters (@OneJurorMatters) March 2, 2021
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Holly Matkin
