07/January/2020 – MVC with Fire – “B” Shift

Incident # 20-00147 – A Mack log truck and a Kenworth flatbed truck collided on Sunrise Road (SC Hwy 217) near Yamacraw Dr Tuesday morning 07-January at 07:08. The southbound Kenworth crossed the center line and sideswiped the north bound log truck causing heavy damage to both vehicles. The log truck drove off of the road into the ditch in an attempt to avoid the collision. Shortly after impact, the Kenworth, which came to rest upright in the northbound lane, caught fire. The collision ruptured the fuel tanks on the Kenworth spreading diesel fuel about the scene. The truck was also equipped with large plastic storage tanks containing an unknown substance. First arriving Fire-Rescue units encountered a large fire, as the Kenworth truck was fully involved and the diesel fuel was also on fire, which included the roadway, both shoulders and woods on each side from ditch to ditch. The scene was also littered with debris from the collision. The log truck had recovered from entering the ditch and was back up on the roadway. The driver of the Mack suffered non-life threatening traumatic injuries. The driver of the Kenworth was unaccounted for. Crews deployed two hand lines to combat the fire. It took them approximately 25 minutes to contain the blaze, including the truck, woods/grass fire and burning diesel fuel. Other crew members searched the woods on both sides of the accident using thermal imaging cameras in an attempted an located the driver of the Kenworth.

Once the fire was extinguished, crews searched the remainder of the cab, but the driver was not found. There was evidence at the scene, of at least one vehicle passing the burning vehicle and the driver appears to have fled the scene. Sunrise Road was blocked for several hours while the SC Highway Patrol investigated the crash. SCDOT rerouted traffic. Anyone with information regarding the accident or the whereabouts of the Kenworth’s driver is urged to contact the SC Highway Patrol at 843-953-6010 or 1-800-768-1580.

Engine 26, Tender 5, Tender 7, Tender 17, ARFF 19, Medic 7, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 104, Car 107, Car 111 and Car 112 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.

Photos by Harold Buzzell