Miami, Florida Turnpike Crash Injures Eight and Closes Northbound Lanes at Tamiami Trail

What happened on the Turnpike

A crash on the northbound lanes of Florida's Turnpike in southwest Miami-Dade injured eight people on Wednesday morning, November 11. The Florida Highway Patrol told CBS News Miami the crash happened just before 11:30 a.m. near Southwest 8th Street, also known as Tamiami Trail. WSVN 7News, citing the Highway Patrol, put the time at about 11:20 a.m.

The Highway Patrol said the crash involved a black SUV and a white work van. WSVN's 7Skyforce helicopter over the scene around noon also showed a blue Mazda among the wrecked vehicles.

A Level 1 mass casualty call

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the call was upgraded to a Level 1 mass casualty event because of the number of patients. Fire rescue officials said seven of the eight injured people were taken to a hospital, and three of them had serious injuries and were taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital. The Highway Patrol told CBS News Miami that eight occupants were transported to a hospital.

No deaths were reported on Wednesday. Troopers had not released a cause for the crash by Wednesday evening, and the names and ages of the injured people were not released.

Lanes closed, traffic diverted

Troopers shut down all northbound lanes near the crash. WSVN reported that northbound traffic was diverted at the 41st Street exit, and troopers urged drivers to avoid the area and use other routes.

The closure hit one of the main north and south routes through Miami-Dade in the middle of the day, and aerial pictures showed a long backup behind the closed lanes while crews worked at the scene.

What is not known yet

Both early reports stressed how little the Highway Patrol had released in the first hours. CBS News Miami said few details were available beyond the vehicles, the place and the injury count, and that the patrol had not said how serious the injuries were. WSVN, with fire rescue officials at the scene, gave the fuller count later in the day: eight people injured, seven taken to a hospital and three of them in serious condition at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital. Neither report named a driver at fault, and neither said when the closed lanes would reopen. WSVN told readers to check back for updates as the patrol released more.