Though one particular accident did not occur in the Cleveland area, this sort of incident could occur almost anywhere. A big-rig truck hauling more than 8,000 gallons of fuel suddenly exploded on a freeway on October 27th.
The truck accident occurred after the vehicle crashed into a side-rail. The truck went up in flames as it was hanging over the side of a bridge. The driver of the truck was listed in critical condition after receiving severe burns. An individual believed to be on the street below where the accident occurred also was said to have suffered moderate injuries. The freeway was shut down for some time and two parked trucks in the vicinity were destroyed. Also a number of residents in neighboring homes were forced to evacuate their premises.
One law enforcement officer stated the truck was spilling crude oil and diesel while it veered out of control. The truck then seems to have caught on fire due to sparks. At least a portion of the accident may have been caught on video.
From what little information we have it’s difficult to know whether the truck driver was at fault. However, such an accident demonstrates that just about anything can happen because of a truck accident. When picturing a truck carrying gasoline about to explode, it’s not hard to imagine that many bystanders could have been killed.
Such an accident will require an extensive investigation. Determinations will need to be made as to why the truck exploded, whether safer storage methods could have been used to prevent an explosion and whether the actions of the driver made circumstances even worse. Personal injury attorneys often have the resources available so that independent investigations of such accidents can be conducted.
Source: Huffington Post, “Big Rig With 8,000 Gallons of Oil Explodes On Freeway,” Oct. 29, 2013