A modular home being hauled on a trailer toppled onto a car during a large chain-reaction crash on Interstate 20 East on Friday afternoon, crushing the vehicle and sending nine people to hospitals. All of those injured are expected to recover, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
The wreck occurred around 2:40 p.m. near mile marker 25 in Carroll County, close to the Douglas County line and the Liberty Road area. Troopers said a Nissan Pathfinder lost control and struck a Ford Explorer, triggering a pileup that ultimately involved 17 vehicles — three tractor-trailers and 14 passenger cars. At least one vehicle overturned in the crash.
One of the tractor-trailers was transporting a modular or pre-fabricated house section. During the successive collisions, the structure shifted and fell onto a car, heavily damaging it. Firefighters used specialized tools, including cutting through the walls and insulation of the fallen house section, to free people trapped underneath. Officials noted that the car’s safety cage created enough space for occupants to survive the impact.
Nine people were transported to four different hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. No fatalities were reported. Georgia State Patrol confirmed that all of those hospitalized are expected to recover.
Eastbound lanes of I-20 were completely closed for several hours as emergency crews worked the scene. One left lane reopened around 4:25 p.m., and the remaining lanes were cleared by approximately 7:10 p.m. The extended closure created significant backups, and drivers were advised to use alternate routes such as Highway 78.
The crash drew widespread attention after video and photos of the unusual scene — showing the house structure resting on the crushed vehicle amid the wreckage — circulated online. Local agencies, including the Villa Rica Police Department and Georgia Department of Transportation, assisted at the scene.
An investigation into the precise cause of the Pathfinder’s loss of control and any contributing factors remains ongoing.
