PLAN DE BARRANCAS, Mexico — A horrific multi-vehicle collision on the Guadalajara-Tepic highway has left at least 11 people dead and 13 others injured, local emergency services confirmed. The devastating accident occurred on Sunday, July 12, 2026, near the Plan de Barrancas area, located in the mountainous border region between the states of Jalisco and Nayarit.
According to the National Emergency Commission, the chain-reaction crash was triggered by a mechanical failure. A heavy semi-truck traveling toward Tepic experienced a sudden brake failure while navigating a steep descent. The driver attempted to steer toward an emergency runaway truck ramp to halt the vehicle. However, the path to the ramp was blocked by a minor, pre-existing traffic accident that municipal workers, paramedics, and National Guard officers were actively resolving.
Unable to stop, the heavy truck plowed into the response scene, crushing several vehicles and sparking a massive, fast-moving fire. The resulting inferno entirely consumed five vehicles, including the semi-truck and three passenger cars.
Emergency crews from both Nayarit and Jalisco rushed to the scene to extinguish the flames and treat survivors. Officials reported that the victims included maintenance workers, two National Guard officers, and civilian travelers. Among the dead were at least two minors, while several of the deceased suffered severe burns.
The highway was closed in both directions for nearly 24 hours as forensic teams recovered victims and cleared the charred wreckage, finally reopening on Monday morning. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus expressed deep condolences, calling the incident an immense tragedy that has devastated families across both states. Local authorities have launched a formal investigation into the crash to determine the exact mechanical causes and review safety protocols for highway emergency response zones.
Source: El Financiero
