On August 27, a serious trucking collision on Interstate 75 in Florida’s Sarasota County caused a gasoline spill of 250 and 500 gallons. Both the truck driver and another driver were injured in the crash and the accident caused a secondary four-car collision as well. Firefighters placed foam over the gasoline to keep it from catching fire.
Fuel spill accidents such as these can quickly become deadly and are a serious concern when tankers carrying gasoline and other flammable materials are involved in a crash. The resulting collisions can cause:
1) Environmental and health damage.
Trucking accidents in Miami and other cities can cause serious health and environmental concerns when fuel spills are involved. The fuel can leak into underground water supplies or can cause health damage to nearby residents who may be breathing in the fumes. Those who are already ill may be even more vulnerable to the damage.
2) Secondary accidents.
As with the Sarasota County collision, fuel tanker crashes can cause secondary accidents as other cars swerve to get out of the way. It is not unusual for multi-vehicle crashes to occur as a result of these accidents.
3) Fires.
Fuels are highly flammable and when the tanker leaks or is otherwise compromised, a fire can occur, especially if a spark is present. In the Sarasota County crash, officials were concerned that even the 90-degree Florida temperatures could cause a fire. Of course, in the event of a fire it is possible that heavy smoke could cause secondary damage and injuries over a large area. The flames could also lead to serious burns and injuries for drivers involved in the crash. Since fuel tanker fires tend to be very hot and large, it can be some time before emergency responders can put out the flames, increasing the risk of injuries and environmental damage.
4) Explosions.
If a spark or flame is present, flammable cargo can also create an explosion, which could result in lacerations, fatalities, and serious injury even for bystanders who are some distance from the accident.
5) Infrastructure damage.
If fuel tankers cause a fire or explosion, especially, the force and heat involved can melt road surfaces, collapse bridges, and cause other serious damage to the roadways and other infrastructure. This can be very expensive for cities to fix and can also result in secondary accidents.
The above is in addition to the typical injuries and damage that a serious trucking collision can cause. Like all trucking collisions, fuel tanker collisions in Miami and Florida can result in fatalities, head injuries, spinal cord trauma, amputations, paralysis, and other serious or possibly life-threatening injury. With fuel tankers, however, there is the added heightened risk of fire and explosion as well as fuel spills.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a fuel tanker collision, it is possible that your injuries are quite serious. To find out what legal redress may be available to you, contact Flaxman Law Group to schedule a free, no obligation case review. Our legal team would be pleased to help you understand your rights.