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Update: Two Killed, Box Truck Incinerated In Multi-Vehicle Route 80 Crash

𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A driver and passenger in a box truck were killed and two occupants of a tractor-trailer hospitalized with severe injuries in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on Route 80 in Hackensack, New Jersey State Police confirmed.

The destruction stretched across both sides of Route 80 in Hackensack.

The destruction stretched across both sides of Route 80 in Hackensack.

Photo Credit: Jon Ryan
Little remained of the box truck, which was incinerated in the fiery crash on Route 80 in Hackensack.

Little remained of the box truck, which was incinerated in the fiery crash on Route 80 in Hackensack.

Photo Credit: Jerry DeMarco
The cab of a tractor-trailer involved in the crash was on one side of the divider and the trailer on the other on Route 80 in Hackensack.

The cab of a tractor-trailer involved in the crash was on one side of the divider and the trailer on the other on Route 80 in Hackensack.

Photo Credit: Jon Ryan
The box truck was incinerated.

The box truck was incinerated.

Photo Credit: Jon Ryan
The tractor was on one side of the divider, the trailer on the other following the fiery crash on Route 80 in Hackensack.

The tractor was on one side of the divider, the trailer on the other following the fiery crash on Route 80 in Hackensack.

Photo Credit: Jerry DeMarco
The aftermath.

The aftermath.

Photo Credit: Jerry DeMarco

The box truck was instantly consumed by flames as firefighters reached Exit 66 shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 21.

"It was a cremation," one responder at the scene said.

Ambiorix Torres-Fernandez, 40, of Paterson, passenger Juan Sanchez-Rodriguez, 27, of Garfield, were declared dead at the scene.

Meanwhile, the cab of the rig involved in the crash went through the concrete divider to the westbound side while the trailer remained in the eastbound lanes.

Two SUVs were also involved, State Police said. All of the survivors remained at the scene, they said.

A squadron from the Hackensack Fire Department doused the flames after quickly and safely extricating victims.

All local and express lanes were quickly closed, as the fiery field of destruction stretched across nearly two-thirds of the entire highway.

The express lanes remained closed and the locals open through the morning between the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike.

Here's how it happened, according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron:

A Toyota SUV was headed east in the local lanes when it hit the curbed median, entered the express lanes and hit the Volvo tractor-trailer in the area of milepost 66.6.

The rig's cab crashed through the divider into the westbound express lanes, hitting the Izuzu box truck.

The box truck was knocked into the local westbound lanes and burst into flames.

A GMC SUV then hit the tractor-trailer (continued below).

Torres-Fernandez and Sanchez-Rodriguez were killed, the sergeant said.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 63-year-old man from Temple, TX, and his passenger, a 60-year-old man from Killeen, TX, suffered serious injuries and were transported to an area hospital, he said.

The driver and passenger of the GMC sustained minor injuries, Lebron said.

A State Police investigation was continuing, he said.

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