Tractor-trailer truck in flames before it crashed into students' bus, witnesses say

[Omaha Steve]

Source: CNN

By Chelsea J. Carter, Faith Karimi and Mariano Castillo,

(CNN) -- A FedEx tractor-trailer truck was already in flames when it crossed a median and slammed into a bus carrying students in Northern California, CNN affiliate KOVR reported, citing two witnesses.

The truck clipped a car occupied by Joe and Bonnie Duran before it slammed into the bus Thursday evening, killing 10 people -- five high school students, three chaperones and the drivers of both vehicles. More than 30 people, mostly teenagers, were taken to local hospitals.

Bonnie Duran told the affiliate the truck was on fire before it hit the bus. She said she made a quick decision to swerve to avoid a direct hit from the truck, sending their rental car into a ditch.

"Somehow we survived," she said.

FULL story and video at link.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/12/us/california-bus-crash/

[Skink]

1. similar thing happened here in texas near my apt recently

fedex ltruck ost control. Only driver killed.

[itsrobert]

2. Fedex works it's driver's hard

often off the clock some portion of the work day.

[underpants]

3. They also often aren't actual employees

At least most of the door to door people aren't. They are paid an hourly wage and S.Sec tax, healthcare, everything else is their responsibility.

[CANDO]

4. This was a Fedex Freight truck.

"Freight" means this wasn't the owner operator portion of Fedex which hauls the parcel packages. Freight is hauling LTL(less than truckload) multiple shipments of various goods in a single truck. These are full Fedex employees and are highly regulated by DOT and FMCSA. The truck being reportedly on fire before it crossed the median could most probably been caused by brakes on a given axle over heating to the point of igniting. Doesn't happen often, but is most certainly possible. What I don't understand, is that as a driver of one of these tractor trailers, you can and should feel that there is a brake holding up. There is a resistance that you feel. I don't know if that is what happened, but a possibility. Another possible cause of a fire would be if he was hauling hazmat and there was a spill inside the trailer causing a fire. Again, that is entirely possible.

[4dsc]

5. Depends on the experience of the driver

I have seen new drivers pull around trailers with brakes not working properly and they didn't know the "feel". I driver even told me he thought the truck was pulling a little hard that day as he almost melted the wheel bearing out of the axle.

[CANDO]

6. I can see that happening with an inexperienced driver.

However, my 21+ years in the LTL freight industry tells me a major nation-wide carrier such as Fedex Freight wouldn't be putting a driver in one of their seats with less than at least a year of verifiable commercial driving experience. I generally agree with your statement though. Even a newbie shouldn't be so stupid to keep going if there is an obvious sluggishness to the truck's ability to reach highway speeds. I mean, this would have to be an absolute ignoramus to ignore something like that. But it is possible.

[rocktivity]

13. I remember an episode of Cops where an 18-wheeler ended up in a field

the driver was able to steer it off the highway to a stop (with the help of 2/3 of a donut). No human or vehicular casualties, but the cops had to help him out of the cab because he was so badly shaken up. I remember it because the driver looked to be in his fifties, and I couldn't help wondering if a less experienced driver would have done as well.


rocktivity

[underpants]

7. Yes

that is why I said the door to door guys. I couldn't find that this was LTL but it probably was. I was just pointing out the odd situation the Fed Ex people we see at our workplaces are in.

[CANDO]

12. In the video and still or screen capture...

the trailer says Fedex Freight.

[jmowreader]

14. If he was hauling hazmat a LOT of people's heads are on FMCSA's chopping block

Unless that truck hit hard enough to make them fall off - doubtful - the load isn't placarded, which is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirement for hauling hazmat.

So...the load was marked wrong (not likely; FedEx knows their business), or the presence of hazmat wasn't known to the driver (also unlikely), or there's no hazmat in the load.

[CANDO]

18. There are usually 2 trailers.

I can't tell due to the ball of flames. But the front trailer could have had hazmat on it. Anyhow, a tragedy for so many.

[jmowreader]

19. 49 CFR 172.504 says it's got to have a placard on the back of the whole vehicle

[itsrobert]

16. Some witnesses say there was no flames prior to the collision

A driver sideswiped by the FedEx truck and an eyewitness differ on whether flames were coming from it before the collision that killed 10.

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bus-crash-20140413,0,2461388.story#ixzz2yk3hn2D2

[sendero]

20. I think it is a lot more likely...

... that if someone saw flames there were flames (maybe not everywhere so it depends on where you are compared to the truck) than someone didn't see flames meaning that there were actually no flames anywhere.

I feel like I'm channeling Rummy, but I hope people understand. I'm saying if someone saw flames I'm betting there were flames.

[JayhawkSD]

21. I would disagree with that

Memory is notoriously unreliable. It is extremely likely that someon e would erroneously remember seeing flames long before they actually existed. Police can tell you that that sort of error happens all the time.

[Capt.Rocky300]

9. Fedex Express delivery drivers........

are employees. Fedex Ground personnel are contract workers who owen the equipment and either drive/deliver themselves or have employees who do.

[mike dub]

8. What a tragedy

Years ago my wife and I were headed up I 75 in Florida, bound for Destin, FL, in mid December. A twin trailer " 18 wheeler " FedEx Freight truck had run off into the median and both trailers were ripped open on the median guardrail stanchions. Good that the rails were there to stop it. We think the driver was ok. Many folks did Not receive Christmas packages on time, if at all, if they were being hauled in that truck. Packages strewn everywhere.

[kiranon]

10. Would like more info on where witnesses car was

relative to the Fed Ex truck when all this happened. Hope there are more witnesses.

[christx30]

11. If it was already in flames

before the accident, could there have been a hazardous material in the shipment? When something like propane or gas is loaded in a truck, the loader takes a hazmat sticker off the box and puts it in the cab so the driver knows about it. Could that material have combusted? Would that have caused the driver to lose control? This is pure speculation.

[jmowreader]

15. In a commercial truck the requirements are different

The load's Bill of Lading has to state what hazardous materials are in it, and how much of them.

The driver, who has to be certified to haul hazmat (all FedEx drivers are because they carry so much of it), must then affix placards describing the load to the front of the tractor, the tail of the trailer and on both sides of the trailer. There are even regulations stating where in the truck cab you can put your paperwork - they want it on the driver's seat or in the driver's door pocket, so it's easy to grab when the driver is out of the cab.

But if there was hazardous material in the truck...yes, it definitely could have ignited.

[itsrobert]

17. "If" ... some witnesses say there wasn't any flames

A driver sideswiped by the FedEx truck and an eyewitness differ on whether flames were coming from it before the collision that killed 10.

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bus-crash-20140413,0,2461388.story#ixzz2yk3hn2D2