A serious crash has resulted in multiple hospitalizations and a partial closure of the GW Parkway.
The crash happened around 10:30 p.m. Friday on the southbound GW Parkway just south of Memorial Circle. Initial reports suggest a vehicle crashed, rolled down an embankment and caught fire with people still inside.
At least five people were taken to local hospitals, some with critical injuries and at least one with burns, according to scanner traffic.
Video posted by local public safety watcher Dave Statter, below, showed smoke rising from the crash scene, visible from Pentagon City.
Police closed the southbound lanes of the Parkway amid a large fire department rescue response. The road may remain closed for an extended period of time overnight while police investigate the crash.
BREAKING: That thick black smoke (within the hazy Canada wildfire smoke) you may have seen on the Virginia shoreline near the Memorial Bridge was from a car crash. The car apparently went down an embankment on the G.W. Parkway and caught fire. At least five people hurt.… pic.twitter.com/NOnupvRdqx
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) July 18, 2026
