CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Three men suffered severe burns after their vehicle caught fire while traveling over the Ravenel Bridge on Friday.
One officer with the Charleston Police Department, who was conducting speed enforcement, said they observed “flashing amber lights” that turned out to be a fire on the bridge.
Three men were out on the side of the bridge. The officer said one of the men was sitting down and appeared to be suffering from extreme burns to his face, arms, and hands.
One witness stopped to inform officers that the vehicle had passed them on the bridge while it was still on fire and said it continued to drive down to the Morrison Drive exit.
Another officer said they saw the vehicle pass at “excessive speed, likely moving at 90 mph to 100 mph “when the vehicle got to the top of the bridge it became fully engulfed and the vehicle traveled another .75 miles while on fire until it came to a rest and all of the men started to climb out.”
In their report, police said that they could smell alcohol coming from the men. They were all taken to the Medical University of South Carolina for immediate treatment.
The bridge was shut down for some time while crews responded to the vehicle fire.