On one of our busiest freeways last night a couple of truck drivers saved some lives, probably even their own.  Apparently a car, speeding around a curve  on I-75, drifted from it’s lane and crashed into a tanker truck which was hauling thousands of gallons of fuel.  A semi truck driver, seeing what was unfolding, moved out of the way to give the tanker more room.  If that driver hadn’t been paying attention and had collided with the tanker an explosion would have occurred immediately, probably killing both truck drivers and perhaps other people as well.  As it was, the tanker rolled over, its driver was able to get out of the cab and scramble up the embankment, the semi driver was able to stop and run from the area, and all the other drivers of cars were able to run away from the area as well.  The tanker exploded into a huge fire ball seconds later, flames shooting 100 feet into the air.  The heat from the fire caused a major overpass to collapse on top of the trucks.

Last night as I watched live footage of the flames everyone wondered how many fatalities there would be.  Firemen could see multiple vehicles  but the fire was so hot no one could check to see if any were occupied.   I went to bed wondering how many families would get that awful telephone call.  This morning a miracle shows its face.  No one died.  Only three minor injuries.  It’s amazing, and yet it isn’t.  People paying attention while they’re driving is the key, whether they’re truck or passenger vehicle drivers.

Last night a observant truck driver saved lives.   As I’m quick to criticize truckers who make errors that cost lives, it’s only fair to acknowledge that truck drivers can be heros too.

Here’s a link to the story:  http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/15/michigan.tanker.fire/index.html