I-75 reopens after 2 killed as food truck engulfed in flames in Sarasota, FHP says

Two people were killed when a food truck driving Interstate 75 South in Sarasota had a tire failure, flipped and caught fire on Tuesday morning, Florida Highway Patrol said.

The wreck happened at 9:22 a.m. just north of Fruitville Road, Exit 210, near the border of Manatee and Sarasota counties.

I-75 South was temporarily shut down, and traffic was diverted off of the interstate by emergency responders.

The interstate has now reopened, but two lanes are blocked at the crash scene and traffic remains congested in the area.

A Chevrolet food truck with two occupants was traveling southbound on I-75 approaching Fruitville Road when there was a “catastrophic failure” of the front right tire, Trooper Kenneth Watson said.

The tire failure caused the truck to overturn several times, Watson said. It came to a stop partially in the left travel lane and partially in a grassy median.

Within moments of overturning, the food truck became engulfed in flames, Watson said.

“Many good Samaritans attempted to rescue those in the vehicle but were unsuccessful,” the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office tweeted.

Both occupants were trapped inside the vehicle and killed.

Troopers were not able to identify the vehicle occupants. The Medical Examiners Office will now handle the identification, a news release said.

The cause of the fire is also unknown.

“These are things that will come to fruition after the investigation is over. It’s way too early to be guessing right now,” Watson said.

FHP’s Homicide Unit continues to investigate the crash.

Tire safety tips

Following the crash, the Bradenton Police Department is stressing the importance of tire safety.

“Regardless of how well tires have been maintained or how little they’ve been driven, the age of the tire is crucial to safety,” the agency said in a tweet. “Never operate a vehicle with tires that are more than six years old.”

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recommends that drivers follow this tire safety advice:

• Ensure that your vehicle is equipped with the proper tire size and type. Reference your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s specifications.

• Never operate a vehicle with tires that are more than six years old.

• Check tires monthly with a tire gauge to ensure proper air pressure and safety. Under inflated tires can overheat and endanger lives. A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and not appear to be flat. Refer to your vehicle’s owner manual for the recommended tire pressure. The tire sidewall displays the MAXIMUM allowable pressure for that specific tire, NOT the proper inflation.

• Check the tread. Tires have built-in treadwear indicators, which are raised sections that run in between the tire’s tread. When the tread is worn down so that it’s level with the tread indicator, it’s time to replace your tires. Another good rule of thumb is to do the penny test. Insert a penny into a tread groove with the top of Lincoln’s head facing down. If you can see above the top of his head, your tires have less than 2/32” of tread should be replaced immediately.

• Tires should be rotated every 5,000 miles or as required by the manufacturer. This ensures that your tires will wear evenly, prolonging the life of the tire and ensuring motorist safety.

• Check your tires weekly for damage such as bulges, cuts and cracks. Along with the tread, inspect the sidewalls of the tires.

• Don’t overload your vehicle. Reference the vehicle owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s loading specifications.

• Check your spare tire monthly and ensure it is in good condition, properly inflated and ready for use.

For more tips, visit flhsmv.gov/safety-center/vehicle-safety/tire-safety.

This story was originally published August 16, 2022 at 1:06 PM.