Breaking News, some reports from official sources and some reports from on scene and radio traffic, reported as accurately as possible
Updated at 9:40 am. with what we know
Updated at 1:00 pm with some details from social media
June 7, 2020
EAST WINDSOR, NJ (MERCER)–New Jersey State Police confirmed that 10 horses died in a horse transport truck accident with fire early this morning on the New Jersey Turnpike. The truck was a very large tractor trailer style horse transport.
One Facebook witness said they were passing the area at the time and saw flames 20 feet in the air coming from the wreckage.
The transport vehicle traveling north lost control and struck a concrete divider in the area of the bridge support for an emergency U-Turn on the highway then caught fire.
NJSP did not confirm that two persons were injured including one with inhalation burns to the lungs. The injured people were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick trauma center.
The accident and fire occurred around 3:00 am this morning on the New Jersey Turnpike “truck lanes” outer roadway near mile marker 68.6 north bound which is between Wycoff Mills Road and Brick Yard Road, approximately 1 mile north of Exit 8 Hightstown
Multiple fire departments and ambulance crews responded to the scene including units from Hightstown, East Windsor 1 & 2, Cranbury, Plainsboro and Monroe. Hightstown First Aid Squad transported 2 to RWJ, New Brunswick.
It was reported the horse transport was coming from Florida.
No further information is available at this time. NJSP would not give name of carrier or farm that horses belonged to.
One unconfirmed source stated that the horse trailer may have been en route from Ocala, Florida to Sarasota, NY carrying race horses for a race today and training at Saratoga Springs.
Sad to share that two WPT fillies were among the @clementstable horses in the tragic van accident this morning. Rest easy Hot Mist & Under the Oaks. Condolences to her Partners, the Clement team,& all those who loved the 🐴 who perished. Very glad the drivers are ok. 💔 pic.twitter.com/btJGyppf9l
— West Point Tbred (@westpointtbred) June 7, 2020
This morning we learned from Sallee that a van carrying horses to our barn in NY caught on fire. We understand both drivers were admitted to hospital, and that all horses have passed. We are all devastated by the news and heartbroken – we are working to understand what happened.
— Christophe Clement Racing Stable (@clementstable) June 7, 2020
ADVERTISEMENT: Washington Wellness Center, Robbinsville NJ https://washingtonwellnesscenter.com/
ADVERTISEMENT: Washington Wellness Center, Robbinsville NJ https://washingtonwellnesscenter.com/
Tractor trailer fire on New Jersey Turnpike inner roadway northbound North of Interchange 8 – NJ 33 (East Windsor Twp) right and center lanes blocked due to Tractor Trailer fire on left shoulder of northbound outer roadway https://t.co/hENq4VO3jf
— 511NJ TPK (@511njtpk) June 7, 2020