As of Monday afternoon, three people had died and one was described by Michigan State Police as ‘critically injured? after a fiery weekend crash on northbound I-75 just south of Sashabaw Road.
Multiple pillars of black smoke marked the scene at about 3:30 p.m. on April 30, as a total of five vehicles burned after a two-vehicle head-on collision.
According to a state police press release, a southbound 2002 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck crossed the median, striking a northbound 2004 Jeep Cherokee. The crash spread burning gasoline, which caused three other vehicles to catch fire.
‘There was an immediate explosion,? said Independence Township Fire Chief Steve Ronk, noting a rare occurrence of gasoline explosions in traffic crashes. ‘That tells us one of the fuel cells ruptured and ignited. A lot of cars got splashed with gasoline, and they ignited.?
The driver of the S-10, 25-year-old Matthew Singleton of Grand Blanc, and the driver of the Cherokee, 26-year-old David Dejonckheere of Clinton Township, were pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.
A 15-year-old boy, who was a passenger in the Cherokee, died on May 1 at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc.
Another Cherokee passenger, a 23-year-old woman from Fraser, was still considered ‘critical? on Monday.
Drivers of three other northbound vehicles attempted to avoid the first crash, but were unable to do so and saw their vehicles catch fire as well. State police said minor injuries were sustained by:
? a 37-year-old Clarkston man and his 11-year-old son, in a northbound 2002 Chevrolet van.
? a 38-year-old Flint woman, driving a northbound 1999 Mercury Mystique.
? a 1994 Plymouth Sundance driven by a 20-year-old Huntington Woods man.
State police are still investigating the incident, and as of Monday did not know if alcohol was a factor. Results of autopsies were not expected to be available for at least several days.
Ronk said firefighters were on the scene for about five hours as investigators continued their work.
Northbound I-75 was closed, and traffic on the southbound side was narrowed to one lane. Some onscene deputies expressed frustration at the ‘gaper gap? caused by motorists.
Other motorists were credited with pulling some of the occupants out of their burning vehicles.
‘When you have a gasoline fire, if [rescue] is not immediate, you get burned,? Ronk said. ‘They absolutely saved people’s lives.?
Some bystanders became a minor irritant, however, as people attempted to ‘help? firefighters. Ronk said his crews had to be short with some well-meaning good Samaritans.
‘I can’t have people picking up our hose lines trying to put out car fires in shorts and t-shirts,? he said.
Public safety agencies were dispatched to a ‘tanker explosion,? Ronk said. The number and intensity of the fires required tanker trucks to accompany engines, and the chief gave credit to firefighters who responded from their volunteer work at Christmas in Action homes.
Despite the tragedy, Ronk also said the fire department’s advanced life support operation made a real difference.
‘If this was three years ago, we would be waiting 20 minutes for a private ambulance to get there in the gridlock,? he said.
Two ALS ambulances were on scene within four minutes, and critically-injured patients were off scene and on the way to hospitals within 16 minutes, Ronk said.