Travel Influencer Severely Burned After 'Steaming' Asphalt Dumped on Her in Fatal 10-Car Pileup

Mar. 15, 2025

Elise and Dan Caffee and a photo from the deadly 10-car pileup in Cancun on March 6.Photo:3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/Instagram

3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/Instagram

Parenting travel expert Elise Caffee — known as@3kidstravelon Instagram — suffered severe burns after she was involved in a deadly 10-car pileup on the way to a wedding in Cancún on March 6.Elise’s husband Dan posted a photo from the accident on Facebook — shared via her sister Kristina Buskirk onInstagram Stories— revealing, “Elise and I were involved in a horrible accident shortly after arriving in Mexico.““Our driver was killed and Elise was severely burned [and] I was uninjured,” he continued in the post. “Elise is currently stabilized but in bad shape.“Car damage after a 10-car pileup in Cancun.3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/InstagramElise’s sister also sharedan Instagram account, titled Elise Caffee Updates, which the family created to keep friends and followers updated on her condition.“Elise and Dan arrived in Mexico for a wedding on March 6th and on the way to their hotel they were involved in a 10+ car pileup on a freeway in Cancun where a truck full of hot asphalt hit them, flipping their car, trapping Elise underneath, and dumping steaming hot asphalt on top of her as well as the people in front of the other cars,” the post from the Instagram account read.“It happened right in front of a hospital which is a miracle,” the post continued. “Hospital workers rushed out and immediately started trying to help get people out from under cars as did my Dan, but were getting burned through their protective gloves because the asphalt was so hot. Elise’s body is badly burned, her face is not.“As of March 7, Elise is “currently stable and is intubated and sedated with a neck catheter to help her get fluids and medicine,” per the Instagram post.Elise is a mom of three and is known for sharing her travel tips with parents and documenting her travel experiences with her family on Instagram.Elise and Dan Caffee.3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/InstagramNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/InstagramOn the update account’s Instagram Stories, the family posted that “when Elise was awake after the accident and awaiting meds, Dan pointed out that at least her pedicure was still looking good — minus the asphalt on her feet” and shared a photo of her painted toes.The caption also confirmed that medical staff were “working to clean the asphalt from her burn wounds and help her get stable so that she can be transferred with a ICU medic plane to the University of Utah burn unit.”

Parenting travel expert Elise Caffee — known as@3kidstravelon Instagram — suffered severe burns after she was involved in a deadly 10-car pileup on the way to a wedding in Cancún on March 6.

Elise’s husband Dan posted a photo from the accident on Facebook — shared via her sister Kristina Buskirk onInstagram Stories— revealing, “Elise and I were involved in a horrible accident shortly after arriving in Mexico.”

“Our driver was killed and Elise was severely burned [and] I was uninjured,” he continued in the post. “Elise is currently stabilized but in bad shape.”

Car damage after a 10-car pileup in Cancun.3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/Instagram

Elise’s sister also sharedan Instagram account, titled Elise Caffee Updates, which the family created to keep friends and followers updated on her condition.

“Elise and Dan arrived in Mexico for a wedding on March 6th and on the way to their hotel they were involved in a 10+ car pileup on a freeway in Cancun where a truck full of hot asphalt hit them, flipping their car, trapping Elise underneath, and dumping steaming hot asphalt on top of her as well as the people in front of the other cars,” the post from the Instagram account read.

“It happened right in front of a hospital which is a miracle,” the post continued. “Hospital workers rushed out and immediately started trying to help get people out from under cars as did my Dan, but were getting burned through their protective gloves because the asphalt was so hot. Elise’s body is badly burned, her face is not.”

As of March 7, Elise is “currently stable and is intubated and sedated with a neck catheter to help her get fluids and medicine,” per the Instagram post.

Elise is a mom of three and is known for sharing her travel tips with parents and documenting her travel experiences with her family on Instagram.

Elise and Dan Caffee.3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/Instagram

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

On the update account’s Instagram Stories, the family posted that “when Elise was awake after the accident and awaiting meds, Dan pointed out that at least her pedicure was still looking good — minus the asphalt on her feet” and shared a photo of her painted toes.

The caption also confirmed that medical staff were “working to clean the asphalt from her burn wounds and help her get stable so that she can be transferred with a ICU medic plane to the University of Utah burn unit.”

source: people.com