CHATTANOOGA, Tenn - Monday, November 28,2011 - 5:00am - A semi tractor
trailer headed northbound on Interstate 75, traveling through the Interstate
24 split, overturned down in a gully in the median causing the driver to be
trapped for a short time and also causing his load of peppers to spill out
of the trailer. City of Chattanooga Firefighters and medics with Hamilton
County EMS were dispatched to the scene. Rescuers arrived on the scene
within minutes and firefighters were able to free the driver in short order.
Medics rushed the driver to Erlanger Medical Center with a very serious head
injury.At this point City of
Chattanooga Police had to call in a wrecker company that could handle the
massive clean up. Doug Yates Wrecker service was dispatched to the crash
site. When crews arrived on the scene they quickly started working on a plan
of operations. Crews first worked to pull the wreckage from the gully, then
up right the overturned wreckage. This was not an easy task due to the
extent of the damage to the tractor and trailer. However, the Yates crews
made the job look like a walk in the park.
Due to the heavy rain and weather
conditions, crews made a decision to return at a later time to clean up the
remaining debris left in the gully. Either way the debris was nothing more
than peppers. The actual cause of the crash is under investigation by the
City of Chattanooga Police.
Story and photos by Bill Carson
