GEORGIA — Seven people were killed Monday evening in a six-vehicle crash on Interstate 85 northbound, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
The crash occurred just south of mile marker 147 in Jackson County. Investigators said a tractor-trailer following too closely struck the back of a Dodge van, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving several vehicles.
The impact caused the van to catch fire, and all seven occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities have not yet been confirmed, authorities said.
The Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is investigating the crash to determine the exact sequence of events.
FurKids, Inc., an animal rescue organization based in Cumming, confirmed that one of its vans was involved in the crash. The group said its driver had been transporting 37 cats at the time of the incident.
