“B” Shift – Hazardous Materials Response
Run # 10-04977 - Station 19 responded to I-95 at the 38 mile marker southbound near the Town of Yemassee, as a mutual aid request for Hampton County, Wednesday morning 8-October at 0542. The incident involved an overturned tractor trailer with two trailers. Hampton County Fire-Rescue and EMS initially responded to the incident. They requested Colleton County’s Hazardous Materials Team when they discovered at least one of the trailers was carrying a HazMat cargo. Apparently, a southbound Conway Trucking Company truck, pulling two trailers, struck another 18-wheeler causing him to lose control. The truck and both trailers overturned blocking the entire southbound lanes. The driver was able to exit his vehicle with minor injuries. Traffic on southbound I-95 began backing up immediately.
Colleton Sheriff’s Deputies and DOT employees set up a detour, rerouting I-95 traffic onto US Highway 21. HazMat crews donned Level “A” protective suits and investigated the truck/trailers for hazards. The two man team used air
monitoring equipment, radiation detectors, gas meters, a thermal imaging camera and several other detection devices to check the cargo area of the trucks. Entry into the trailers was not possible due to the shifted loads. The second trailer contained cylinders of Hydrogen and Nitrogen, but they were found to be intact. No product was leaking from the cylinders. The first trailer appeared to be leaking, but there was a large amount of diesel fuel on the ground as well. One fuel tank had been ripped off of the truck, resulting in a substantial diesel fuel spill on the highway. Among other things, that trailer was transporting 750 pounds of Sodium Hydroxide and 1500 pounds of a non-hazardous liquid cleaning solvent. The spill was contained. Area Rae air monitors were set up around the trailers so Firefighters could monitor any changes from a safe distance. It was determined that no hazardous materials were leaking, so the wrecker service was able to right the vehicle and pull it from the Highway at 09:04. Southbound I-95 was re-opened then. Traffic was backed up only 4 miles, due to the detour at Exit 42 (US Hwy 21). The SC Highway Patrol and State Transport Police are investigating the crash. Yemassee Fire Department was the lead agency.
