Propane Truck Overturns
Causing Tense Moments In Hulaco
Driver Flown To Huntsville Hospital

A Ferrell Gas propane truck lies on it's side after striking a car and overturning Thursday afternoon in Hulaco.  The driver of the truck was thrown from the truck during the wreck and flown to Huntsville Hospital.                                                                 All Arab Today Photos by Dwight Hayes

Firefighters spray foam onto the trucks battery compartment as the battery cables are cut to prevent sparks and to prevent possibility of an explosion.

Two large wreckers gingerly upright the overturned truck.  The truck was towed to a safe zone to allow the propane to be pumped to another truck.

August 13, 2009 - Dwight Hayes
Hulaco residents and area emergency personnel spent several tense hours Thursday afternoon after a propane tanker truck struck a car and overturned at the Hwy 67 and Hulaco Road intersection. The wreck prompted a large multi-agency emergency response and sent the driver of the gas truck to Huntsville Hospital by helicopter. A ruptured joint on the truck caused a propane leak that was controlled by fire personnel and safety valves built into the truck.

Johnny Feemster, of Arab, driver of the Ferrell Gas propane tank truck, suffered head injuries after being thrown from the truck cab during the rollover. The driver of the late model Mercury Cougar, was not injured. The car driver's identity was not available at the time of this report but was reportedly from Fairview.

Cullman based Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter lifts off from an improvised landing zone transporting Johnny Feemster to Huntsville Hospital.                         Arab Today Photos by Dwight Hayes

The wreck occurred around 12:35 pm. According to witnesses, the driver of the car was traveling Eastbound on Hulaco Road and attempting to cross AL Hwy 67. The propane tanker was traveling North on Hwy 67. Witnesses said an 18 wheeler was in the Hwy 67 Northbound left turn lane at the time of the accident. Traffic was blocked for almost 4 hours until the truck could be righted and moved to a safe zone for offloading of the remaining propane.

A small number of local residents with homes near the wreck scene were advised to evacuate to a safer location while the truck was being brought back onto it's wheels.

The driver of this Mercury Cougar escaped injury after being struck by a propane tanker truck Thursday afternoon at the Hwy 67 and Hulaco Road intersection.

The emergency response to the accident was large and swift. Firefighters from Arab Fire & Rescue, Tri-County, Rock Creek, Florette, and Baileyton were first on the scene. Hazmat units from Decatur Fire and Cullman County arrived later to assist. Arab Police, Morgan County Sheriff, and Alabama State Troopers provided traffic control.  Investigation of the accident is being handled by the Decatur office of the Alabama State Troopers.

Alabama Department of Transportation officials were on scene and brought in a truck load of sand to help with absorption of leaking diesel.

An inspector from the Alabama Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board supervised the righting of the truck back onto it's wheels and the offloading of the propane to another truck.

Southbound 18 Wheelers are backed up while traffic was blocked to allow emergency crews to deal with the accident and to upright the overturned propane truck.

Traffic on Hwy 67 was blocked for almost four hours and resulted in a large traffic pileup of 18 wheelers on both sides of the wreck.  Road blocks were set up at detour points at four different locations to reroute traffic around the accident scene.  Northbound trucks caught up in the traffic tie-up were eventually re-routed onto Hulaco Road.  Southbound truckers were not as lucky since there was no side road available to re-route to near the scene and had to wait until the scene was cleared.

Emergency personnel survey the situation.

Note the towel (center of photo) wrapped around the leaking pipe joint.  The wet towel is frozen by the escaping gas which closes off the leak.  As the water thaws more gas is released and freezes the water again.

View of wreck scene looking North on Hwy 67.

Wrecker were placed on either side of the overturned truck.  The wrecker on the right pulled the propane truck back onto it's wheels while the other wrecker kept tension to allow the truck to be lowered gently.

Damage to the cab of truck is shown after truck is lifted back onto it's wheels.

Diesel fuel mixed with water and fire retarding foam drains toward a holding area hastily created by emergency personnel. Arab Today Photos by Dwight Hayes

Firefighter Margaret Blocker mans a line in case of fire in the overturned truck.