A Car Crashed Into A Florida Firework Store & Blew Up The Place (VIDEO)
The driver reportedly died on the scene.
The Phantom Fireworks fire. Right: Fireworks.
A man crashed his car into a fireworks store in West Melbourne, Florida, on Monday and reportedly died as the building went up in flames.
Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Channing Taylor told WESH 2 that a two-vehicle crash sent both cars through the intersection and into the retail parking lot at around 4:20 p.m. on November 28.
He said a woman in a pick-up truck was rear-ended by a man in an SUV, and that the SUV continued to push the pick-up forward even after the initial collision. Realizing the vehicle was not stopping, the woman turned, and the SUV continued straight, finally crashing into the Phantom Fireworks store.
Taylor told the outlet that the 53-year-old SUV driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities also told Florida Today that two employees were inside the store at the time of the crash, but both escaped the flames safely and without injury.
The West Melbourne Police Department published on their Facebook page that West New Haven Avenue was closed at John Rodes Boulevard and US-192 as they worked to extinguish the flames.
The building was deemed a total loss after they worked together with Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Brevard County Fire Rescue, and Melbourne Fire Department.
One Florida resident commented on WMPD's Facebook post that she saw one of the employees make it out of the building.
Additionally, a viral video on TikTok shows what happened as the car was lodged into the place, which was immediately surrounded by a billow of dark smoke and fireworks detonating.
@spaceforcessgt A car crashed into Phantom Fireworks in Melbourne FL. #Melbourne #Fireworks #florida
The clip was published shortly after the incident and has received over 16 million views so far. You can distinctly hear different fireworks firing off as it began.
The same TikToker, @spaceforcessgt, also appears to have gotten an aerial video of the aftermath.
You can see practically a shell of a building and it is completely caved in.
Narcity reached out to WMPD and the TikToker requesting comment, though neither has immediately responded.
This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.