Just before 11 a.m. on December 2, traffic flowed steadily along Highway 87. It was an ordinary stretch of roadway — commuters heading to work, parents running errands, families traveling together. Then, in a matter of seconds, everything changed.
Authorities report that a violent chain-reaction collision involving four vehicles suddenly brought traffic to a standstill. The impact triggered a catastrophic fire. Two Teslas and a Lexus were rapidly consumed as flames tore through twisted metal, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Witnesses described a scene of chaos — drivers scrambling to escape, bystanders attempting to help, the sound of explosions as the blaze intensified.
When fire crews arrived, multiple vehicles were already fully engulfed. Despite their swift response, the fire’s intensity made rescue efforts heartbreakingly difficult. Inside one of the vehicles — a Lexus — were an adult and a child, members of the same family. They did not survive. Several others involved in the crash were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries ranging from serious to critical.
Investigators remain on scene piecing together what led to the devastating sequence of events. Officials have stated that while electric vehicles were involved, battery systems did not hinder firefighting operations. Still, the visual aftermath — charred frames, melted glass, scorched pavement — tells a haunting story of how quickly ordinary moments can spiral into tragedy. By mid-afternoon, the wreckage was cleared. Lanes reopened. Engines hummed once again along the same stretch of asphalt. To passing drivers, it may have seemed like just another cleared accident site. But for one family, the clock stopped in those flames. What began as a routine drive ended in a loss that will echo far beyond the highway. As investigators continue their work, a community mourns — and a family faces a future forever divided into before and after that fire.