A dramatic and firy crash on Route 301 in Brandywine, Maryland killed three yesterday.

The accident involved a dump truck, a catering truck, a taxi cab, and three other vehicles. According to the AP, the accident began when a taxi swerved into the southbound lane after seeing a broken down Ford blocking the lane. According to a spokesman for the Maryland State Police, that caused a “dump truck to lose control, which veered to the left and went into the northbound lanes … the dump truck struck a (Chevrolet) Monte Carlo, a lunch wagon type truck, and a Buick.”

As if things couldn’t get any worse, the fuel tanks on the dump truck apparently then burst info flames:

“You could actually see the tanks light up and somebody started screaming and we started going back across the other side here, and the tanks just blew up,” said Darrold Comber. “The flames were too high, it was too hot. We got as close as we could but there was nothing we could do.”

Then again, perhaps the Post put it best: “‘We have a very horrific situation with this crash, and we have to do a detailed investigation,’ said state police Cpl. Rob Moroney, standing on a highway slick with oil, strewn with broken glass and metal and covered with flame-retardant foam.”

The road, which commuters complain is already overloaded with traffic, was snarled for hours while officials cleared the wreckage of the accident.

The photo is from NBC4, who has posted images of the pileup from their news helicopter.