Massive mud spill sends cars crashing on Florida interstate and 8 to hospital, cops say

A truck spilled wet soil over several hundred yards of highway, leading multiple cars to crash and sending eight people to the hospital, according to Florida officials.

The spill created an “ice-like slick surface” over the highway near an on-ramp, causing drivers to lose control of their vehicles, according to a post on the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Facebook page on Oct. 12. The accident occurred about 15 miles east of downtown Tampa.

Twenty units from the county’s fire rescue department, as well as the Florida Highway Patrol and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, responded to help with rescue efforts.

Officials posted photos of rescue crews removing damaged cars from the muddy highway.

Seven of those who were taken to area hospitals were in stable condition and one had serious injuries, a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue spokesman told McClatchy News.

This story was originally published October 12, 2022 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Massive mud spill sends cars crashing on Florida interstate and 8 to hospital, cops say."