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By Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First
NORTH FERRISBURGH – A tractor-trailer containing compressed gas was destroyed after it ignited for unknown reasons on U.S 7 in North Ferrisburgh south of the Charlotte town line.
Mark E. Laflam, 64, of St. Albans was taken to the UVM Medical Center with unspecified injuries, officials said.
The trailer was owned by NG Advantage of Colchester, while the tractor belonged to KAG Merchant Gas Group in Canton, Ohio.
The massive fire and subsequent explosion forced the closing of U.S. 7 between Greenbush Road and Dakin Road shortly after the 2:50 p.m. alarm.
The location was about the same place as another big natural gas fire on June 1, 2023 involving a tanker owned by KAG Merchant Gas Group out of Lansdale, Penn., the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles said.
DMV Investigators reported the Monday fire started for unknown reasons.
After the explosion, the flames soon spread to a nearby small building on the west side of U.S. 7, DMV investigators said.
State police said one lane of U.S. 7 between Greenbush and Dakin roads reopened about 7:30 p.m.
DMV Lt. Matt Nesto, who is heading the investigation, said Ferrisburgh Fire Department received assistance from multiple volunteer fire departments including Vergennes, Monkton, Addison, Shelburne and Hinesburg.
Also assisting were the Vermont State Police and Vergennes Police.
Emergency Medical Services also came from Vergennes and Bristol.
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Categories: Transportation
ignited for unknown reason///// i recall the last tanker fire was caused by a over heated trailer wheel bearing/// that was the reason used from the last
investigation////
I wonder if anyone is tightening up the trailer brakes. Was this driver off-duty anywhere, or at a convenience store?? It’s kind of hard to park a placarded tanker anywhere legally. The driver is not really ever “off-duty” due to the hazardous material.
But trailer brake lockup literally happened to me when I was driving for a firm whose owner hated my guts. My wheels locked up on the NJTPK just up the road from my domicile, and nearly started a fire.
I got off the road and tried to loosen the brakes with my 9/16 wrench (which all truckers have, or are supposed to, for brake adjustments) and it was completely frozen locked-up. I broke one wrench. Then tired another. No luck.
The boss would not send me a mechanic. Instead, he fired me. He was practically violent with me. I tried to get unemployment and was refused by the county labor board judge.
Not that any of this is suspicious… but, you never know.
Almost all slack adjusters are now the automatic adjusting slack adjusters. CVSA guidance is that they are not to be manually adjusted. It is important to know that they only adjust with a hard application of the brakes. If they aren’t adjusting properly, manually adjusting them is not fixing them. They need to be replaced.
The odds of this second incident at the exact location, a mere 13 months apart defy even the best Vegas oddsmaker. Assuredly DMV Lt. Matt Nesto has grounded all KAG trucks and NG Advantage trailers from operating statewide, pending DMV inspections and a DMV Audit?
A third incident may have a very different outcome. Both companies are very fortunate no serious injuries or loss of life…yet. Time for scrutinizing both firms.
Well there are two truck stops located in Fair Haven that would be considered safe havens for tankers to park for rest stops. In years past I have stopped there many times without incident. Don’t forget we are no longer alone. Our borders are only a line on a map today. There is also the possibility of a disgruntled former employee as well as a fire bug doing their thing. There have been many mysterious fires the last few years. Luckily everyone was able to walk away this time. If this was sabotage let’s hope the perp or perps get caught.
“Safe Haven” is a widely misunderstood term, which refers specifically to loads of explosives, which are prohibited from stopping on or within a certain distance of the highway. They are fenced in, secured areas, where a driver can leave the load and be off duty. A regular truck stop is NOT a safe haven. The common reference to safe haven (a safe place for rest, often used as a comment on the driver’s log for someone exceeding hours of service limits, to proceed to a safe haven) has no legal standing. A driver is simply explaining his continued movement and asking for an officer’s courtesy.
DOT was looking into revoking the authority to use these special trailers they have had several other incidents as well
Why are so many bulk LNG trailers on the road now? Anyone remember the battle about extending natural gas pipelines down toward Middlebury and Rutland, and over to Ticonderoga? The “environmental activists” blocked both expansions. So what are customers supposed to do? Or do customers and consumers have any voice at all in our brave new world.