A devastating multi-motorcycle crash on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth Friday night left at least 17 people injured and several motorcycles engulfed in flames, according to local authorities. The collision occurred on the southbound toll lanes near Heritage Trace Parkway shortly before 9 p.m. on April 18, 2025.
The Fort Worth Fire Department responded swiftly to reports of a major accident involving a large group of motorcyclists. Emergency crews arrived at a chaotic scene where more than 15 motorcycles were reported to have collided, triggering fires that consumed several of the vehicles involved.
Initial findings from the Fort Worth Police Department suggest that the chain-reaction crash was likely sparked by a tire blowout on the lead vehicle in the group. While it remains unclear whether the lead vehicle was also a motorcycle or a separate automobile, the resulting impact caused a cascading series of collisions among the motorcyclists behind it.
Ten of the 17 individuals injured in the crash were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment. The severity of the injuries has not been disclosed. Emergency responders worked quickly to extinguish the fires and tend to those at the scene.
Due to the scale of the crash and resulting fires, authorities temporarily shut down the southbound toll lanes of I-35W in the affected area, causing traffic disruptions during Friday evening hours. Investigators are still working to determine all contributing factors that may have led to the incident, including whether excessive speed, poor visibility, or road conditions played any role.
The aftermath was captured on video by bystanders and circulated on local media, showing scorched motorcycles, emergency vehicles, and damaged equipment scattered across the highway.
Large group motorcycle rides, while often coordinated and experienced, can become extremely hazardous when unexpected events—like a tire blowout—occur. These situations can quickly escalate due to close following distances, limited maneuvering space, and the lack of physical protection riders have compared to occupants in passenger vehicles.
At this time, no further information has been released regarding the identities of those involved, and no criminal or civil liability findings have been announced. Authorities are continuing to investigate the sequence of events leading up to the crash and encourage anyone with additional information to come forward.
Commentary from a Gosuits Personal Injury Attorney
In crashes involving a large group of motorcyclists, the mechanics of the incident are rarely as simple as they appear. When a lead vehicle suffers a tire blowout, particularly at highway speeds, every rider behind it is placed in immediate danger, particularly if spacing is tight and reaction time is minimal. These conditions, common in group rides, often result in chain-reaction crashes that leave many injured before anyone has a chance to respond.
In my experience reviewing similar cases, the condition of the lead vehicle’s tire must be examined early in the investigation. A tread separation, puncture, or manufacturing flaw may point to product liability concerns. Likewise, if the tire was under-inflated or improperly maintained, responsibility may shift toward the vehicle operator or service provider. These are not details that can be assumed—they require documentation, photos, service records, and, when possible, preservation of the damaged tire itself.
It’s also important to recognize that fire-related injuries add a layer of legal and medical complexity. Burns can require long-term hospitalization, skin grafts, and ongoing rehabilitation, which makes an accurate determination of liability even more important. When motorcycles ignite after a crash, questions often arise about the fuel system integrity, road conditions that may have exacerbated the fire, or delays in emergency response due to congestion or blocked access.
Another critical point in cases like this is data preservation. While motorcycles don’t always contain black box recorders, nearby vehicles—specifically if a non-motorcycle vehicle triggered the crash—may hold event data that captures speed, braking behavior, and throttle position. Securing this data early is vital. Surveillance footage, GPS logs from ride apps, and helmet cam videos may also provide valuable insight into how the crash unfolded.
When so many people are injured in a single event, the process of understanding what happened becomes just as important as supporting recovery. Each rider’s position in the formation, visibility, and timing of impact matters. It takes careful, often technical analysis to untangle the liability picture—but doing so can help clarify what went wrong, and whether it could have been prevented.
Obtaining a Police Report in Fort Worth Motorcycle Crashes
Police reports can serve as an important part of any legal or insurance-related review following a crash. In Texas, accident reports can typically be requested from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) website or by contacting local law enforcement agencies such as the Fort Worth Police Department. For individuals recovering from serious injuries, personal injury attorneys often handle these requests to ensure accuracy and proper documentation.
