Watch: Driver Crashes Directly into Fireworks Store, Then the Explosive Chain Reaction Starts
Two vehicles were involved in a deadly crash in West Melbourne, Florida, on Monday that led to the eruption of a massive fire.
A 2006 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck was rear-ended by an SUV near the Phantom Fireworks store, according to Spectrum News 13.
The impact from the SUV apparently sent both vehicles careening into the Phantom Fireworks store parking lot.
The driver of the truck was able to avoid the store and stop safely, but the SUV ended up plowing into Phantom Fireworks, according to the report.
The impact from the SUV caused a chain reaction of exploding fireworks in the store, which then caused the building to go up in flames.
Brevard County Fire Rescue released a statement on their Facebook page that detailed what they found when they arrived on the scene on Monday.
“This afternoon at around 4:19pm, Brevard County Fire Rescue received a call for a vehicle into a structure at 4433 West New Haven Ave in West Melbourne.
“Callers advised the BCFR Dispatch Center that the vehicle had ignited the interior of Phantom Fireworks.
“When crews from BCFR Station 82 arrived on scene, they found heavy and rapidly deteriorating fire conditions with heavy involvement of the fireworks that were inside of the building.”
Employees who were inside the store at the time managed to escape unharmed, according to WFTV-TV.
Unfortunately, emergency crews were unable to rescue the driver of the SUV, according to WFTX-TV.
The driver’s identity has not yet been released.
The building continued to smolder for 12 hours after the crash, according to Miami Herald.
Michael Geddis of Titusville and Mary McLaughlin told Florida Today they witnessed the accident while stopped at the intersection and tried to help the driver of the SUV, but were forced back by the exploding fireworks.
“I pulled up, and we both ran out to see if we could help someone. When the fireworks started, we turned,” Geddis said, according to the report.
“It was like a horror show,” McLaughlin told Florida Today.
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