A runaway semi-truck in Tooele, Utah, crashed into dozens of cars at multiple intersections Friday before plowing into a car dealership and bursting into flames, KSL 5 reported.
Police on Monday released numerous videos caught on dash cams and surveillance cameras that showed the incredible damage the semi caused, according to KSL 5. The harrowing event injured 11 people, one critically, and destroyed at least 32 cars, the outlet reported.
“How this didn’t end up in a fatality is shocking,” Lt. Jeremy Hansen of the Tooele Police Department said. He added that the critically injured woman was expected to survive. (RELATED: Dash Cams Shows Man Avoid Truck At Last Second In Deadly 40-Car Pile Up)
Video shows the semi veering around cars stopped at red lights, careening down along a sidewalk, and crashing through intersections, KSL 5 reported.
Lt. Hansen witnessed much of the destruction himself as he and his partner got stuck in traffic after heading back to the police station following an unrelated call, according to KSL 5.
From their stalled spot in traffic, Hansen and his partner saw the semi flip a couple of cars into the air before the runaway truck smashed into the parking lot of Tooele Motor Company and burst into flames, KSL 5 reported.
Hansen raced into the lot to check on the driver who miraculously walked away from the carnage, according to KSL 5.
“I didn’t think there was any way the driver made it out of that,” Hansen said.
Hansen praised the Tooele community in its effort to save those injured by the runaway semi and limit the damage of the fire, KSL 5 reported.
“This spread us super thin, so for the community to come together, seeing the citizens grab the first-aid kits out of their vehicles and start rendering aid while we’re waiting for fire units to respond, the ambulances to respond, we had Dugway Fire, North Tooele Fire, Mountain West, Gold Cross even helped to come to the hospital afterward to transfer patients out, this was a community effort between all first-responders,” Hansen said. “We’ve never had an accident of this scale in the city in my 17 years here.”
Hansen said it appears that the semi’s brakes failed, though state investigators are still reviewing the case, according to KSL 5.
“We’re truly blessed it wasn’t worse than what it was,” Hansen said.