September 8th, 2010 | 
Author: CAROLINE COUNTY, VA – A driver was killed Tuesday afternoon, Aug 31, when his semi trailer truck flipped over and burst into flames on an interstate in Caroline County, Virginia. The truck accident occurred after the tractor trailer blew a tire and went out of control on Interstate 95 near the city of Woodford, VA. The accident area is in the east central section of the state, about 44 miles north of Richmond, VA and about 68 miles south of Washington, DC.
The impact of the truck accident damaged a fuel tank and the trailer truck burst into flames.
On Tuesday afternoon an unidentified truck driver was in his semi trailer truck headed south on Interstate 95 in Caroline County, VA. The trailer of the semi was filled with a load of tires. The destination of the trailer truck is not known at this time.
Shortly before 3:00 p.m. the semi trailer truck was traveling in the area by mile marker 116 near the city of Woodford when the truck driver suddenly lost control of his 18 wheeler. According to the preliminary investigation, the left front tire on the trailer truck blew out and caused the semi trailer truck to fishtail.
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The semi truck went off the interstate onto the right hand shoulder then skidded along about 650 feet of guardrail and slammed into several pine trees alongside the highway. The trailer truck then flipped over on the passenger side of the vehicle, trapping the driver in the cab of the semi.
The impact of the truck accident apparently damaged a fuel tank and the trailer truck burst into flames. The fire quickly engulfed the trailer truck and large black plumes of toxic smoke rose from the overturned semi. Officials believe that the load of tires likely fed the truck fire which would continue to smolder through the night and eventually destroy the 18 wheeler truck.
No other persons or vehicles were involved in the truck accident.
Local firefighters and emergency personnel rushed to the scene of the truck accident and battled the flames of the semi trailer. EMTs were unable to reach the truck driver immediately due to the red hot truck fire. By the time the flames were extinguished the driver had died from his injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene and then transported to the Caroline County Medical Examiner’s Office where officials hoped to make a positive identification of the truck driver.
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Virginia State Police troopers shut down a section of Interstate 95 surrounding the burnt wreckage of the overturned semi trailer truck. The southbound lanes of the interstate were closed for almost two hours while emergency teams worked and troopers investigated the truck accident. At times the afternoon commuter traffic was back up for about 10 miles going back to Exit 126 on I-95.
The southbound lanes were partially opened later Tuesday afternoon however the clean-up of the truck accident scene would be done on Wednesday morning, according to a spokesperson for the VA State Police. The official said that they expected highway crews to begin their work after the morning commuter rush ended. A special team would be working in the wooded area next to the interstate to remove the residue put off by the burning tires.
The semi trailer was completely destroyed in the truck accident and it is not known if the VA State Commercial Trucking Department will be able to conduct a complete inspection.
No charges or citations have been made at this time and the truck accident remains under investigation.
For more information about Virginia trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact a nationwide truck accident attorney at Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP for expert advice. For a free initial consultation, talk to a VA truck accident lawyer at 800.773.6770.
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