AN Truck Blast Kills One in Arkansas, Injures Three Others
A tanker truck carrying ammonium nitrate exploded in southern Arkansas on the morning of March 27, killing the driver and injuring three firefighters, according to local media reports. The explosion occurred at 7:30 a.m. on U.S. Highway 287 west of Camden, according to KATV News. A statement from the Arkansas State Police confirmed the victim as Randall McDougal, 63, of El Dorado, who was employed by Blann Trucking Company of Hampton. Police said the truck was carrying ammonium nitrate from El Dorado to Texarkana.
The police statement said area fire department personnel were notified at about 6:40 a.m. that the truck’s brakes were on fire and the driver was attempting to extinguish the blaze. The first fire department personnel on the scene had begun to evacuate residents who live in the area and reportedly witnessed McDougal return to the truck when it exploded. The blast produced a large mushroom cloud and left a crater that spans the width of the highway, which remains closed until further notice. Nearby Highway 57 and Highway 24 were also closed, but Highway 24 has since been re-opened.