South Florida

Fatal tanker truck crash shuts down Florida’s Turnpike in Southwest Miami-Dade

WLRN Public Media | By Helen Acevedo

Published July 16, 2026 at 1:09 PM EDT

Traffic is seen heading North along the Florida Turnpike near Homestead, Fla., as tourists in the Florida Keys leave town on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. Heavy rain and 185-mph winds lashed the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico’s northeast coast Wednesday as Hurricane Irma roared through Caribbean islands on its way to a possible hit on South Florida. AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com — Traffic is seen heading North along the Florida Turnpike near Homestead, Fla., as tourists in the Florida Keys leave town on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017.

Florida’s Turnpike is shut down in both directions in Southwest Miami-Dade County due to a fatal tanker truck crash Thursday morning.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash, near Southwest 8th Street and Bird Road, occurred after the driver of what appears to be a septic tank truck, lost control of the vehicle causing it to overturn and crash into a concrete median. The truck then caught fire.

The driver was killed. A passenger in the vehicle was able to escape with minor injuries. Hazmat teams were called to the scene to clean-up materials that leaked onto the turnpike, according to WSVN Channel 7.

Authorities are asking the public to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

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