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Mar 28, 2008 8:24 pm US/Eastern
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Driver Runs Through Fire To Escape Tanker Crash
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WBZ) ―
A truck driver was critically burned after his fuel tanker rolled over and exploded in a fiery wreck that shut down Interstate 91 in western Massachusetts on Friday.
The driver was identified as 43-year-old Aaron J. Staelens, of Richmond, N.H. Staelens was not able to avoid a Subaru that had just been in an accident in the northbound lanes around 9:30 a.m.
The tanker hit the Subaru, then a guardrail and a sign post. State Police say once the truck hit the guardrail, the trailer separated from the truck cab and both burst into flames. The trailer rolled over the guardrail and down an embankment.
Staelens was initially trapped in the cab. State Police say he then escaped, ran through the fire and received help from several drivers, some carrying blankets and jackets to smother the flames.
He was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston where a spokeswoman said he was in critical condition. Staelens suffered severe burns over 70-percent of his body, according to WBZ's Bill Shields.
He works for Abenaqui Carriers of North Hampton, N.H. The tanker was carrying 9,600 gallons of gasoline and 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, according to police.
The company said speed doesn't appear to be a factor and the driver never had an accident working for them.
No charges have been filed at this point, but State Police say they are still investigating.
A spokesman for Abenaqui said he did not know Staelens' condition.
"At this time, our immediate concern is for the condition of our driver and the well being of those involved," the company statement said.
A passenger in the Subaru, Louisa Fonseca, 43, of Holyoke, was transported by ambulance to Bay State Medical Center with minor injuries.
The driver of the Subaru, Victor Aponte, 35, of Holyoke, was not hurt.
A driver for the same company rolled over a fuel tanker in Everett in December, sparking a fire that severely damaged several homes and destroyed dozens of cars.
After Friday's crash, diesel fuel spilled on the highway, but it happened in an area that is relatively isolated. Authorities did not expect homes or businesses to be affected.
Crews pumped the spilled fuel off the road. Some may have run into nearby storm drains, according to WBZ's Ron Sanders.
The fire burned for more than 90 minutes after the crash, and smoke could be seen for miles. Charles Swider, a Chicopee alderman who was on the scene, said the blaze seemed to be "flowing like lava."
"It looked like the world was on fire," he said.
The fire was out by about 11 a.m.
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(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)