A fuel truck crashed on an S-curve in Bedford County, Virginia on May 28, spilling a significant amount of gas and killing the truck’s driver.
According to local news sources, the truck had filled its tanker with 9,000 gallons of diesel fuel and gasoline in Montvale before continuing along Route 460, heading east. The trucker allegedly lost control of his vehicle during a curve in the road and flipped the truck.
Bedford County Fire & Rescue, a haz-mat team, and other emergency responders arrived at the scene of the one-vehicle crash. The rescuers forced their way into the truck’s cab, but the driver, Adam Henry of Lynchburg, died of his truck accident injuries. Authorities do not believe he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
An estimated 7,000 gallons of gas spilled from the cracked tanker, releasing dangerous fumes into the air and resulting in an evacuation of 50 area homes. The residents of these homes were brought to an emergency shelter at Montvale Elementary School but later returned to their houses after the threat of hazardous gas passed. Route 460 experienced back-ups and lane closures for a number of hours after the rollover accident as police and other authorities cleaned the site and removed the vehicle.
The fatal truck accident is under investigation. Virginia State Police are investigating the crash and are not yet sure whether speed, reckless driving, or some other factor could have contributed to the accident.
The Virginia truck accident lawyers at Shapiro & Appleton send their condolences to the friends and family of trucker Adam Henry.