Bronx Zoo Minivan Accident: Seven Killed

Seven people were killed on April 29, 2012 when a minivan lost control and plummeted over 12 feet from a Bronx River Parkway overpass, eventually coming to a halt in the Bronx Zoo, law enforcement stated. Three of the deaths derived from the one-vehicle accident were children, said spokesman of the Fire Department, Jim Long.

Three young girls, ages 12, 10, and 7, three women, ages 80, 45, and 30, and an 84-year-old man were all injured or killed in the horrible Bronx Zoo minivan crash. The van passengers were the only casualties as a result of the tragedy. A city official stated that they were all from the same Bronx family, the NY Times reported.

The incident occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m., just north of East 180th street. It appears as if a blown tire may have been the cause of the accident. A police spokesman stated that the minivan was driving south in the passing lane and lost control, hitting the median. The van then veered right across the two southbound lanes and flew over the guardrail and into the woods, landing on the roof of the van.

Investigators responding to the accident hypothesized that the van, operated by a 45-year-old woman, was driving at roughly 70 miles per hour. There were no evident signs of skid marks prior to the moment that the car actually hit the Jersey barrier before hitting the guardrail on the right, officials indicated. Deputy Chief Ronald Wener was quoted during a short news conference, less than three hours after the accident, having said:

“Sometimes you come upon events that are horrific and this is one of them.”

An official from the Bronx Zoo stated:

“This did happen on the southeast side of the zoo, far from any public areas, where there were no people, no animals, and no exhibits.”

Bronx borough president, Ruben Diaz Jr., was quoted having said:

“For the second time in a year, an accident on the Bronx River Parkway has led to a car falling off the highway to the streets below.”

As it was the second occurrence, spokesman for Diaz, John DeSio, thought it appropriate to examine whether adequate safety measures were in place, as he was quoted having said:

“After this happened one time, I think there’s some thought that it’s freak occurrence. But it has happened again. So we’ll be speaking to the appropriate agencies and examining whether appropriate safety measures, such as higher fences and guard rails, should be taken.”

Minivan Plunges Into Bronx Zoo Video: