Watch: The worst ever Uber ride ends in a fireball and a death (though the company can't be blamed)
The speeding taxi crashed into a petrol pump in North Seattle, USA, killing one person. The driver and passenger survived.
Commuters have many horror stories to tell about taxi rides booked through ride-sharing applications – bad co-passengers, unprofessional drivers, unnecessary detours, creepy behaviour, and more. But what happened last week in an Uber cab in the United States was downright terrifying.
A video that went viral last Tuesday showed a petrol pump blowing up into a huge ball of fire after being hit by a wayward sports utility vehicle in North Seattle the night before (March 13). The car belonged to a Uber driver who was on a trip with a passenger. The speeding vehicle first slammed into another car, cutting it in half, before racing ahead for two blocks and crashing into the gas station. It narrowly missed hitting a person at the gas station. The driver of the other car, a Honda Accord, was not so lucky. He died of his injuries on Wednesday.
The Uber driver was unscathed, though his car was completely destroyed. His passenger, who was in the back seat, was treated for minor injuries.
“Hearing this news is deeply upsetting,” Uber safety spokeswoman Tracey Breeden said in a statement. “Our hearts and thoughts go out to the grieving family impacted by this tragic event.”