Any truck accident on our Fayetteville roads could result in catastrophic injuries. Passengers in cars, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians do not have much to protect them if they are ever involved in an accident with a large commercial vehicle or tractor-trailer. The damage from a truck accident could be even more severe if the truck is transporting dangerous chemicals or heavy equipment.
Earlier this week, the Western North Carolina Hazmat Team was called to clean-up a dangerous chemical spill on Interstate 26 in Henderson County after a tanker truck was involved in an accident near the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge. The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that the eastbound lanes of the interstate where the crash occurred should be reopened by the end of this week. However, crews are making sure that all of the sulfuric acid that spilled is safely cleared and that no structural damage was done to the bridge.
State troopers reported that the accident occurred Tuesday evening. The truck did overturn and it burst into flames. The driver was injured but he is expected to survive. No other vehicles were reported to have been involved in the crash, but news sources reported that dozens of homes in the area had to be evacuated so that residents would not suffer injuries from inhaling any dangerous fumes from the chemical spill. Investigators have not determined the cause of the crash.
When a truck accident does occur and others are injured, it is important that the accident is thoroughly investigated in order to determine whether the truck driver or the driver’s company was negligent in any way. If negligence is a factor in the trucking accident, accident victims may be entitled to important compensation to help cover medical bills and other expenses resulting from the crash.
Source: WSPA-TV, “Westbound Lanes Open After I-26 Tanker Crash In Henderson County,” April 4, 2012