Mar 29, 2008 1:59 pm US/Eastern
Driver In Chicopee Tanker Crash Dies
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WBZ) ―
-
-
John Suchocki/The Republican
A New Hampshire man has died after being severely burned during a tanker truck rollover and explosion on I-91 in Chicopee, Massachusetts.
A spokeswoman for Massachusetts General Hospital said 43-year-old Aaron Staelens of Richmond, N.H., died at about 8 p.m. on Friday night.
Staelens was treated at Bay State Medical Center after the four-vehicle wreck Friday morning before being flown to Mass. General.
WBZ learned Friday that Staelens had suffered third-degree burns over 70 percent of his body when his tanker crashed into a guardrail and exploded after he swerved to avoid a car that had veered into another car in front of him.
The trailer detached and tumbled down an embankment.
Staelens was initially trapped in the cab of the burning truck and several witnesses stopped to try to pull him out. He eventually freed himself and ran ablaze through a "ring of fire" around the cab, before police and other drivers put out the flames, officials said.
The driver of the car, 35-year-old Victor Aponte, of Holyoke, will "likely" face charges in connection with the crash, though no charges have been filed yet and the investigation is continuing, State Police Lt. Eric Anderson said Saturday.
State Police Capt. Barry O'Brien said the accident happened after Aponte, entered the highway and lost control of his car after it stalled briefly then regained momentum. Aponte careered across the road, hitting another car. Aponte's car then hit the tanker, which veered off the road, striking a guardrail and sign post.
The tanker was carrying 9,500 gallons of gasoline and 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, a Abenaqui Carriers spokesman said in a statement.
The fire burned about 90 minutes after the crash, and smoke could be seen for miles.
Staelens' worked for Abenaqui Carriers in North Hampton, New Hampshire.
The company said speed doesn't appear to be a factor and the driver never had an accident working for them.
In a released statement Saturday, the company said, "All of us at Abenaqui Carriers were saddened to learn of the passing of Aaron Staelens. Aaron Staelens has bee a respected driver in the tanker truck industry for more than 15 years. Our thoughts are with Aaron's family during this difficult time."
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.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
