DECATUR — A semi truck with a refrigeration trailer was involved in an accident and caught fire near the entrance to the Simmons Pet Food Plant on Arkansas Highway 59 in Decatur Monday night.
An unidentified passerby was able to pull the truck driver from the wreckage before emergency crews arrived, according to Star Butler, with the Gravette Fire Department.
Decatur and Gravette Fire Departments and Gravette Ambulance service responded to a call of a truck on fire with entrapment at 9:03 p.m., Butler said.
On the way to the scene, Gravette responders were advised by radio that a passerby had pulled the driver from the wreck. Butler said she didn’t know the name of the rescuer, butsaid the person deserves a lot of credit because it may have been too late by the time emergency personnel arrived.
In response to news reports that the rescuer was injured, Butler said the only person treated at the scene was the driver of the truck. Decatur Police Chief Terry Luker also confirmed that the driver was the only person transported. He was taken by air ambulance.
The Arkansas State Policetook the accident report but were unable to be reached to find out details about the cause of the accident and the names of those involved by press time on Tuesday morning.
The fire took quite some time to put out because of the diesel fuel involved, according to Decatur Fire Chief David Flynt. Firefighters were on the scene until nearly 2 a.m., Luker said.
Dodie Evans contributed to this report.
News, Pages 3 on 10/17/2012