100423 SH 242 18 WHEELER CRASH AND RECOVERY

Wednesday morning just after 4 am a tank truck driver was traveling west on SH 242 carrying 6000 gallons of Pine Sap. The section of the road had just been completed and opened 6 days prior. With heavy rain and poor lighting, the driver mistook a right turn lane for a normal traffic lane. THe lane was marked with one "right turn only" sign and two right turn signs painted on the pavement. As the driver approached the intersection, he ran out of the road. He was the third vehicle in a week to do the same thing. Just a week before dirt had been spread and sod planted. At the time the area had almost no rain in months. However, it didn't take long to turn into a mud hole. The truck traveled a short distance before crashing into a utility pole that serviced 2700 homes and businesses. Power was not immediately lost. The driver was able to self-extricate. Unable to find his phone he attempted to flag down passing m motorists. It was close to 30 minutes before a passing motorist stopped and called 911. The 74-year-old driver was uninjured. Caney Creek Fire responded to the scene as did Adamicks Heavy Duty Wrecker and Range 3 Heavy Duty Wrecker Service.
Due to the angle and the soft soil, a decision was made to pump the truck out first. A tanker was dispatched from Rosenburg to the scene. When he arrived the pumping began. The power company, Entergy, could not access the pole with standard equipment due to the mud. A tracked vehicle was brought in to remove the power and fiber cable lines from the pole. Once that was done the pole was removed and a new pole installed. Crews then began the slow task of replacing the equipment on the pole and finishing repairs on a downline pole where the equipment was damaged. Entergy then made the decision to not energize the lines until the truck was removed due to the proximity of the wrecker cables to the main power lines. With both wreckers working together after close to an hour they were able to right the truck and get it back on the roadway. During the entire day, TXDOT and Fire divided the already-divided highway with cones. Motorists, however, with no respect for first responders drove through the scene at the posted 45 miles per hour and above. Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables Office Accident Division worked the crash.

Видео 100423 SH 242 18 WHEELER CRASH AND RECOVERY канала SCOTT ENGLE