Truck accident pile-up leaves 4 dead on Georgia road
Anytime that there is a pileup on the highway, there may be a high number of injured or fatalities as a result. One recent multiple-car and truck accident on a Georgia highway left ten people injured, one of whom was reported to be in critical condition. Unfortunately, four people died as a result of the chain-reaction crash.
According to reports, an initial accident on I-16 between Macon and Savannah led to ten collisions in all. There were reportedly 27 vehicles involved in the multi-car and truck accident. Among the vehicles involved were seven commercial vehicles, one of which was a petroleum tanker. Although empty at the time of the crash, the fumes inside the tanker truck led to a fire that jumped to other vehicles at the scene.
The pileup caused closure of the roadway and approximately 100 emergency personnel were on the scene to assist those involved. News reports indicate that the massive and deadly pileup is being blamed on poor visibility, reportedly due in part to controlled burns in the area. It is unclear who was responsible for the controlled burns.
While reports do not give any information as to potential liability or any charges against anyone involved, there may be cause for the families of the deceased or critically-injured to gather more details about the circumstances of the controlled burns. If the controlled burns were to be found as the primary cause of the truck accident, there may be a case for liability in a Georgia civil court. The damages awarded if there were to be a determination of negligence on the part of whoever started the burn could help families with financial hardships related to the accident, such as funeral costs, medical costs, or last wages.
Source: CBS Atlanta 46, “Covington man among those killed in fiery interstate pileup,” Katie Brace, Feb. 7, 2013