Serious wrecks, 18-wheeler fire dominate morning

By Lance Chancellor, Powers Fire & Rescue Asst. Chief

June 20, 2009 10:49 am

— Two rollover vehicle accidents and an 18-wheeler fire kept numerous Jones County emergency services units busy over a three hour period Friday morning. 
The first rollover accident was dispatched to Powers Fire & Rescue at 5:44 a.m. with a report of one vehicle off the road and on its side on Hwy. 84 East near Magnolia Road. The driver of the Buick LaSabre apparently lost control of his vehicle, left the roadway and flipped several times up an embankment and into the cyclone fencing at Lake Sales & Service and the Beat 3 Supervisors Barn. 
Powers Rescue 1, Powers Heavy Rescue, two units from the Jones County Sheriff's Office, EMServ Ambulance Service and Trooper Jerry Merrill with the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to the scene.  The adult male driver was treated at the scene by EMServ medics, but declined transport to the hospital.
Volunteer fire units from Sandersville and Powers were dispatched a short time later to assist Heidelberg Volunteer Fire Department at the scene of an 18-wheeler on fire on Interstate 59 at mile marker 108 in the southbound lanes. 
Powers Engine 1 and Tanker 1 responded to the call, along with Sandersville Engine 1 manned by Rustin Fire Chief Shane Lily who served as the Jones County Liaison to the Heidelberg Incident Commander. 
Enroute to the fire call, Powers encountered a rollover accident involving a Toyota pickup truck that had just occurred on Interstate 59 at Exit 97. Units from the Laurel Police Department and Jones County Sheriff's Office had just arrived and reported the victim had been ejected from the vehicle, which was now burning in the engine compartment area. Powers Engine 1 stopped to assist and to conduct fire suppression efforts, while Powers Tanker 1 continued to the 18-wheeler fire call. Laurel Fire Department Rescue 1 and Engine 2 arrived on the scene and assisted with fire suppression efforts as well. 
The seriously injured adult male driver was placed on a backboard by EMServ medics and had to be carried up a steep embankment by firefighters and medics to a waiting ambulance. He was transported to South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel for treatment of undisclosed injuries.
A third alarm was dispatched to Sharon VFD to respond to the 18-wheeler fire call, along with Jones County Fire Coordinator Dan McKenna. Sharon VFD responded with Sharon Tanker 1 to provide additional water support at the fire scene. 
The 18-wheeler tractor was destroyed in the fire; however, firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to the attached trailer. All Jones County emergency service units were back in service by 8:45 a.m. following completion of the rescue and fire responses.

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