FELA Lawyer News Blog

CLEVELAND, NC – A tractor-trailer collided with a Norfolk Southern train in Cleveland, North Carolina on June 7, 2010. The truck driver was injured but at this time there are no reports if any railroad workers sustained injuries as a result of this incident. The accident occurred in front of Shaver Wood Products in Rowan County at about 10:30 in the morning near Statesville Boulevard (U.S. 70). Shaver Wood Products is located at the Rowan-Iredell county line just off U.S. 70.

Cleveland lies just off U.S. 70 about half-way between Statesville and Salisbury. Cleveland is about 13.6 miles northwest of Salisbury and about 13.3 miles southeast of Statesville.

Cleveland is located in central North Carolina, about 51 miles north of Charlotte, about 244 miles northwest of Jacksonville, about 118 miles east of Asheville, about 220 miles northwest of Wilmington, about 119 miles southwest of Durham, about 122 miles west of Cary, about 212 miles west of Greenville and about 131 miles west of Raleigh.

The Highway Patrol is investigating the accident. The big rig is operated by American Carriers. According to reports, at about 10:25 a.m. the 18 wheeler was leaving Shaver Wood Products with an empty container box when it was struck by the westbound train.

The force of the collision caused the tractor-trailer to be thrown about 200 feet from the impact and then land on its side with damage to the cab. Authorities from Rowan County said that three people tried to help get the driver out of the truck. Fortunately, the train did not derail as a result of the collision.

The tractor-trailer burst into flames after the collision. Three workers from Shaver Wood Products sprung into action and helped to rescue the injured driver from the burning rig. They first had to make their way to the other side of the stopped freight train in order to reach the injured driver.

The driver was taken to Iredell Memorial hospital with life threatening injuries. One of the men who helped to rescue him, William Trull, was also taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

Below is a Google street view of U.S. 70 just outside Shaver Wood Products. You can click the mouse and drag it around to get a full 360° view of the surrounding landscape.

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Cleveland Community firefighters were concerned that the fire could reach several of the tanker cars that were stopped on the tracks near the wreckage.

Fire singed the grass and railroad crossing sign near the tracks, and it came dangerously close to the tanker cars that were stopped on the tracks. Fortunately, the blaze was contained before reaching the tankers. Cleveland Community Fire Chief Kenny Payne said, “It could have been a lot worse.”

Payne also said that there was a diesel fuel leak from the rig’s side-saddle fuel tank that his department was also containing.

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Published by fela lawyer Gordon &amp Elias, LLP

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