The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating a two-vehicle crash that injured several crew members on the set of the movie “The Pickup.” The incident occurred at a small airport outside Atlanta and involved an armored truck and an SUV.
According to sources with direct knowledge of the situation, at least six people inside the vehicles sustained injuries and were transported to a hospital. One person remained hospitalized on Wednesday with a back injury. Fortunately, none of the actors in the film, which includes Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, and Pete Davidson, were involved in the crash.
Video footage obtained by The New York Times shows the armored truck colliding with the SUV, causing both vehicles to veer off the road and onto the grass. The armored truck flips on top of the SUV, leaving both vehicles mangled but upright. One person inside the armored truck can be seen lying limp as the back door swings open.
Amazon MGM Studios stated that all safety precautions were reviewed before the action sequence and monitored during filming. The studio expressed regret that the sequence did not go as planned and resulted in crew injuries. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, with uncertainty whether a vehicle malfunction or human error was involved.
It was noted that there was no ambulance on site to immediately tend to the victims, despite emergency workers and police officers being present. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has initiated an inquiry into the incident, and OSHA has launched an investigation as well.
Experts mentioned that having an ambulance on standby for potentially dangerous stunts is standard practice in the industry. Dutch Merrick, a prop master, stated that the movie industry generally takes careful precautions for such stunts, making this incident an anomaly.
As more details emerge from the investigation, the safety protocols and procedures on film sets are expected to come under scrutiny to prevent similar accidents in the future.
