Ouachita Co: U.S. Highway 278 will remain closed until further notice. This morning’s accident left about a 15-foot deep crater in the road. Once the accident has been cleared, our crews will begin to repair the highway. Updates as they are available. #ARnews #ARtraffic #ARleg pic.twitter.com/O6DIXGjPnk
— Arkansas DOT (@myARDOT) March 27, 2019
A truck driver was killed in a massive hazardous materials explosion on March 27 while reportedly trying to help others get away from his truck that had caught fire.
A press release from the Arkansas State Police says that Randall McDougal, 63, of El Dorado, Arkansas, was hauling a load of ammonium nitrate along U.S. 278 when the brakes of his truck caught fire. McDougal stopped his truck and attempted to put out the blaze, but the truck exploded, killing McDougal and injuring three firefighters who were on the scene. The explosion left a 15-foot deep crater in the highway and leveled nearby trees.
ASP says McDougal was a driver for Blann Tractor Company out of Hampton, Arkansas.
A news report from KATV states that multiple people on the scene of the explosion told McDougal’s son, Jason, that his father had been helping get people out of harm’s way before the explosion occurred.
