| Current Poll |
Are you keeping your New Year's resolutions?
View Results
|
|
Story Archives: Tanker truck crashes into propane facility
- 2013 - 320 articles
- 2012 - 1160 articles
- 2011 - 1177 articles
- 2010 - 810 articles
- 2009 - 779 articles
- 2008 - 949 articles
|
Tanker truck crashes into propane facility
Residents near Guice Road at the intersection of Hwy. 17 and Hwy. 4, were evacuated for some two hours Monday morning when an 18-wheeler driven by Michael Hurst, 53 of Dubach, La., failed to negotiate a curve before crashing into the office of Macon Ridge Propane Co. The accident occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m.
The Davison Transport truck was traveling south on La. 17 at the intersection of La. 4 (westbound) when it exited the left side of the roadway and struck a tree on the property of Macon Ridge Propane Co. The tanker trailer then hit a 250-gallon propane tank which caused a small leak of propane at the crash site before it came to a rest in the building. Roads near the business were immediately closed and traffic was routed around the area as a precautionary measure.
"It's like a bomb sitting on top of a bomb," said Trooper James Richardson with the Louisiana State Police, Troop F. "We had to evacuate the area due to the gas leak as well as a possible leak in the tanker trailer."
The Louisiana State Police Emergency Ser-vices unit was called to the scene and they were able to shut off a valve on the propane tank to stop the leak. The road was re-opened at about 8 a.m. after the area was determined to be safe.
The tanker trailer did not rupture in the crash and did not release any of the hot liquid asphalt it was hauling. There was a quantity of diesel fuel and other engine fluids spilled at the scene and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will do an on-site evaluation to determine the amount of clean up that will be necessary.
Hurst was transported to Franklin Medical Center where he was evaluated and transferred to LSU-Shreveport hospital for moderate injuries. Initial statements received from Hurst suggest that he may have fallen asleep prior to the crash. He was issued a citation for careless operation.
As work began Monday afternoon to remove the 2006 Volvo tractor-trailer rig from the Macon Ridge Propane office, electricity was lost in the city of Winnsboro for approximately 45 minutes. Derek Huff, manager of Macon Ridge Propane said the boom of the wrecker took out a major power line while attempting to lift the cab of the truck onto a trailer. |
|
|
E-mail Story
Print Story
