2018 UPDATE – NTSB Report issued on this incident
From the NTSB Report…
About 6:20 a.m., as the combination vehicle was traveling northbound on US Highway 431 (US-431), a two-lane undivided highway, near Stroud, Alabama, it entered a right curve near the intersection of County Route 256 and began to encroach on the southbound lane, which was occupied by a 2004 Pontiac sport utility vehicle (SUV). The SUV driver reported that the truck-tractor was operating to the left of the centerline. He further stated that he saw the combination vehicle driver make a noticeable steering input to the right, which took the vehicle back into its proper lane. Following this maneuver, the cargo tank semitrailer separated from the truck-tractor and traveled westward into a ditch and struck a rock. The impact with the rock breached the front head of the cargo tank. As the cargo began to vent, the cargo tank’s entire head became separated, releasing the tank’s contents, which ignited, and a deflagration occurred. The cargo tank semitrailer continued to travel westward, through about 300 yards of forested area before coming to rest.
Could it happen? Such a rare event, could two (2) BLEVEs occur within 24-hours of each other? Both involved Propane. The BLEVE in Westlake, OH is unquestionable because we have video of the event. This second BLEVE which occurred Friday morning in AL we have only pictures of the aftermath, but the picture below tells me a BLEVE was a very good likelihood. We can see the utility truck sitting in the background working on the power lines at the location of the BLEVE.
