A collision involving a fire truck left three people dead on Interstate 85 early Saturday morning. The wreck occurred around 4 a.m. in Granville County near the Durham line.
Volunteers from the Providence Fire Department were on scene handling a previous traffic accident. Their truck was parked in the northbound lanes with its flashing lights turned on to alert oncoming drivers.
A Toyota Highlander carrying a family from Charlotte approached the work zone at highway speed. North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers say the SUV did not slow down as it reached the emergency vehicles.
The SUV struck the heavy fire rig directly, causing severe damage to the passenger vehicle. Emergency workers on the scene rushed to help, but all three occupants died from their injuries.
State troopers identified the victims as 31-year-old Jason Nye, 32-year-old Christina Nye, and their 6-year-old daughter. No firefighters were injured in the impact.
Northbound lanes of I-85 were closed for several hours while state troopers surveyed the crash site. Investigators are looking into road conditions, speed, and visibility during the dark morning hours.
The crash highlights the constant danger faced by emergency workers on busy highways. Highway patrol officers continue to ask drivers to stay focused and move over when approaching flashing lights.
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