Colleton County Fire-Rescue

1/05/2010

Stations 1, 19, 26 and 27 responded to a gasoline tanker fire on I-95 at the 58 mile marker southbound at 0130 Tuesday morning 5-January. Engine 26 arrived to find the cab and chassis portion fully involved impinging on the trailer. Engine 26 used the deck gun to knock down the fire and deployed two 1-3/4 handlines to extinguish the truck. Tender 26 supplied Engine 26. ARFF 19 and the Foam Trailer from Station # 27 staged at Exit 57 (Bells Highway), but were not needed. The driver of the truck suffered smoke inhalation. He was found approximately ½ mile south of the burning vehicle in another truck. Four gasoline tankers were traveling together. The other tankers parked well south of the fire. The driver noted he was driving, when he noticed smoke coming from the vents on the dash. When he stopped the truck, the cab erupted in flames.

Law Enforcement blocked the southbound lanes of I-95 north of the incident. Emergency vehicles were able to travel north in the southbound lanes to assist Engine 26. The fire was extinguished in about 20 minutes with little damage to the trailer. Medic 27 treated the driver at the scene and transported him to Colleton Medical Center for further treatment. I-95 southbound was closed for approximately 45 minutes.

Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 26, ARFF 19, Medic 26, Medic 27, Foam 27,Battalion 1, Truck 12, Truck 111 responded.  Battalion Chief Richard Sheffield served as Incident Commander.