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Tractor-trailer wrecks and burns on Highway 412

Thursday, July 9, 2009 ~ Updated 5:46 AM

The 18-wheeler and its trailer and cargo were a complete loss after the one vehicle accident occurred Thursday morning on Highway 412. It is reported the driver ran off the road and tried to correct the truck hit the guardrail. The rig caught fire and burned until Dyer County fire crews put out the flames. The driver was reported to have no serious injuries.

An 18-wheeler truck carrying a Sam's Club trailer crashed Thursday morning on Highway 412, just before the Highway 104 exit.

The one vehicle accident occurred in the northbound lane at approximately 1:00 a.m.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Sgt. Robert Moore said the driver of the truck initially ran off the road. He then cut his wheels back toward the road to correct himself. The truck came back onto the highway, but the trailer hit the guardrail, tearing the cargo portion of the trailer off of the chassis. The trailer, along with its load, landed in the creek bed below. The truck then caught on fire.

A hazardous materials truck is parked behind the remnants of the Sam's Club trailer, after Thursday morning's accident.
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The Bonicord Fire Department, with the assistance of a tanker from the Dyersburg Fire Department, arrived on the scene to extinguish the flames, which had fully engulfed the truck.

Dyer County Fire Chief James Medling said they had the fire put out in about fifteen minutes.

The truck was carrying a load of fruits and vegetables.

The truck was carrying a load of produce at the time of the accident. Most of it landed in the creek bed below the highway. Although no diesel fuel or motor oil reached the creek, the First Response haz-mat crew placed a water surface dam in the creek as a precaution. They were also responsible for the removal of the fruits and vegetables.
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The hazardous material environmental cleanup service, First Response, was contacted to work the site due to the leakage of diesel fuel and motor oil.

First Response Environment Specialist Trent Britt said they arrived on the scene around 3 a.m. and the wreck did not pose any environmental hazard.

"Most of the diesel and motor oil all stayed on the bridge except what ran onto the dirt, but none of it got in the creek," said Britt. "There was a small sheen on the water, but all that 's the acid coming off the fruits and vegetables."

Part of the bridge and the guardrail were damaged during the wreck. First Response haz-mat cleanup crews use heavy machinery to remove dirt contaminated with diesel fuel and motor oil.
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Clean up crews continued working throughout much of the day.

The driver of the truck was reported to have no serious injuries.

The crash is still under investigation by the THP.

Comments

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Thank God the driver is OK !!

-- Posted by trucker889293 on Thu, Jul 9, 2009, at 6:20 PM

It looks like the driver better Thank God he's OK!!!!

-- Posted by Harleylady on Thu, Jul 9, 2009, at 10:18 PM

Harley Lady..... I was Thanking God the driver is OK, Its the drivers choice what he does don't you think?

-- Posted by trucker889293 on Fri, Jul 10, 2009, at 4:36 AM

"...fruits and vegetables." Fruits? Sounds awkward. I'm just glad God wasn't on the bridge when the driver lost control of his rig. Then where would we be? You guys be safe, ya heah? I'm depending on God 'cause our guvmint sho ain't no hep.

-- Posted by A Citizen on Fri, Jul 10, 2009, at 6:20 AM

In response to trucker889293 I was not being sarcastic about your post.But if any person can come through what that driver did without getting killed or seriously hurt and not THANK GOD is beyond my comprehension.So yes let the driver choose what he wants.

-- Posted by Harleylady on Fri, Jul 10, 2009, at 11:04 AM

Harley Lady, I look back and realize you were not being sarcastic. Sorry for the misunderstanding all is cool !

-- Posted by trucker889293 on Fri, Jul 10, 2009, at 5:20 PM

All is cool here also!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by Harleylady on Fri, Jul 10, 2009, at 6:07 PM

yes thank god the driver is ok and thanks to the crew who worked it(patterson bro.towing)they stayed out there foe two days cleanin it up

-- Posted by tammyjoe on Sat, Jul 11, 2009, at 9:51 AM

[First Response Environment Specialist Trent Britt said they arrived on the scene around 3 a.m. and the wreck did not pose any environmental hazard.

At a manufacturing facility, if even a slight oil spill occurs outside the facility, a facility is required to clean it up, take soil samples, as well as ground water samples. This has to be sent off and analyzed. Was a water and soil sample taken and sent off to be analyzed? How can someone "look" at the sheen on the water and determine it is acid coming from the fruits and vegetables? What about the diesel and motor oil on the pavement and in the soil? Was it cleaned up, or has the rain washed it into the creek?

-- Posted by hey_just_my_opinion on Mon, Jul 13, 2009, at 3:26 PM

Yes.. We Have No bananas

-- Posted by whippingboy03 on Wed, Jul 15, 2009, at 7:33 AM