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Two hospitalized after pickup truck crashes on Beltway, catches fire

A Virginia State Police vehicle (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A pickup truck carrying multiple vehicles became consumed by fire after crashing on the Capital Beltway (I-495) in the Rose Hill area early this morning (Friday).

Virginia State Police responded to the crash near the Van Dorn Street exit at 3:50 a.m., according to a news release.

“At this stage of the investigation, it appears a pickup truck had been traveling west on I-495 when it ran off the road, struck the Jersey wall and came to rest in the eastbound lanes of I-495,” the VSP said. “The impact of the crash caused the vehicle to become engulfed in flames.”

Two people were transported to the MedStar Washington Hospital Center with injuries described as serious.

In a tweet, the Virginia Department of Transportation initially said the crash involved a tractor-trailer before revising the description to a “multi-vehicle crash.”

Police now say that there were multiple vehicles but only one driver.

“The pickup truck was pulling a trailer that was loaded with two other vehicles,” police said.

As the morning rush hour got underway, delays built up to a mile in each direction, but all lanes reopened before 7:30 a.m.

An investigation of the crash by state police is underway.

About the Author

  • Angela Woolsey is the site editor for FFXnow. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked as a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times before joining Local News Now as the Tysons Reporter editor in 2020.