Tanker Truck Rolls Over, Explodes On Route 24 Ramp In Fall River
FALL RIVER (CBS) – A tanker truck rolled over and exploded into a huge ball of flames off Route 24 in Fall River Monday morning.
State Police say the tanker was carrying more than 11,000 gallons of gasoline when it rolled over on the Presidents Avenue exit ramp from the northbound lanes around 7:15 a.m.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports
Tanker Truck Rolls Over, Explodes On Route 24 Ramp In Fall River
Both sides of the highway were shut down for several hours after the crash.
A passerby braved the flames and pulled the driver, identified as Lisa Korch, 46, of Danielson, Conn., to safety, according to State Police.
Check: Driver's Facebook Photos Raise Eyebrows
Korch was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence with a sore shoulder.
Some residents in the area were evacuated as a precaution because of the heavy smoke from the fire.
"We were concerned, we didn't know what it was at the time," neighbor Yi Yi Sun told WBZ.
There's no word yet on what caused the crash.
The truck is owned by J.P. Noonan company. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the company has had 14 crashes over two years, including a deadly wreck in New Hampshire. The federal safety profile gives the company a "satisfactory" rating.
The owner of the company, Larry Noonan said he spoke to Korch after the crash and she sounds like she's going to be OK.
Noonan said Korch was recently hired by the company but has seven years of truck driving experience and a clean driving record.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said Monday afternoon, they would launch an investigation of the trucking company immediately, and share their findings with the Massachusetts State Police.
The Department of Environmental Protection and Clean Harbors were called in to address the environmental impact of the crash.
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