Key Facts
- Toll: 12 people died on Saturday 7 November when a truck, a minibus and a car collided in Chile.
- Where: Route E-66, the “Fruit Road”, at La Atalaya in Santo Domingo, Valparaíso region.
- Injured: At least 13 hurt, taken to the hospital in San Antonio; officials warn the toll may rise.
- Next: Carabineros, Chile’s national police, are investigating the cause; the road stays closed for now.
Published Saturday, 7 November, 10:15 a.m. ET · Source: Regional Presidential Delegation of Valparaíso (the national government’s regional office), Carabineros de Chile
A Saturday morning on Chile’s Fruit Road turned into a roadside tragedy. Twelve people died when a dump truck, a minibus and a car collided on Route E-66 in Santo Domingo, officials said.
The crash happened at La Atalaya, a stretch of the road on the coast side of Chile’s Valparaíso region. Manuel Millones, the regional delegate who represents the national government there, gave the toll at the scene.
What Officials Say Happened
“We had a regrettable accident this morning in the city of Santo Domingo, in the La Atalaya sector, involving a truck, a bus and a car,” Millones said. He cited an official count of 12 dead and 13 injured, and stressed that the information was still developing.
A Carabineros commander described the impact between the truck and the minibus as frontal-lateral. He said it hit mainly the drivers and the passengers in the front seats of the minibus.
Route E-66 is known in Chile as the “Ruta de la Fruta”, or Fruit Road. The road was closed in both directions after the crash, and traffic was diverted toward Route 78, which links San Antonio with Santiago.
Why the Toll Could Still Rise
The count has already climbed once. Early headlines spoke of 10 dead before the delegate confirmed 12, which is why officials urge caution with every figure.
The wounded were taken to the hospital in San Antonio, a port city on the coast. The injuries vary in severity, and the delegate did not rule out a higher death toll in the coming hours.
The number of injured differs between early accounts, with 13 in the delegate’s statement and 15 in a figure from local authorities. The delegate called the information preliminary.
Who Investigates and What Happens Next
The Accident Investigation Section of Carabineros, known as SIAT, took charge of the expert examination to establish how the collision happened. Staff of the Legal Medical Service, the state forensic agency, also went to the site.
Millones said a prosecutor must authorise the removal of the bodies. Only then can the forensic service move them.
Carabineros have not released any findings, and no cause has been given.
What It Means for You
If you are travelling in central Chile this weekend, expect long delays on the coastal routes around San Antonio and allow extra time for transfers to Santiago. Check your hotel or tour operator before driving the Fruit Road, because no reopening time has been given.
For US readers with family or business ties in the region, no victim names have been released. No report so far says that foreign nationals were among the dead or injured.
For the port side of this coast, see our report on the San Antonio port truckers. More is on our Chile page.
What Is Not Known
Officials have not said how the crash began or who was at fault. They have not said whether the dump truck was loaded.
They have not said how many of the dead were in the minibus, the car or the truck. The ages and names of the victims are not public.
It is also unclear when the road will reopen.
Sources
Regional Presidential Delegation of Valparaíso · Carabineros de Chile (national police) · Legal Medical Service (SML) · The Rio Times Chile coverage
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people died in the Santo Domingo crash?
Twelve people died, according to the official count given by regional delegate Manuel Millones on Saturday 7 November 2026. He said the toll could still rise.
Where did the crash happen?
It happened on Route E-66, known as the Fruit Road, at La Atalaya in Santo Domingo, in Chile’s Valparaíso region. Traffic was diverted toward Route 78, which links San Antonio with Santiago.