Three people were killed in an early morning crash on I-275 in Palmetto

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – Three people are dead after a traffic accident on an I-275 on-ramp in Palmetto.

It happened shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday morning when a car pulled into the on-ramp from US41 to I-275.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the car left the road and struck a utility pole that caught fire, killing three people in the vehicle.

After the accident, traffic was backed up for hours.

FHP is investigating the cause of the crash.