1988 — Dec 23, Propane tank truck hits ramp wall, explodes; parts hit house, cars, Memphis TN–9

— 9  AP. “Death Toll at 9 in Memphis Tanker Explosion.” New York Times, 12-25-1988.

— 9  AP, “Memphis City County wants…redesign of ramp…” Courier News, Blytheville, AR.

— 8  AP (Woddy Baird). “Propane tank truck explodes.” Paris News, TX. 12-25-1988, 16A.

— 8  Isner (NFPA). “Fire Investigation Report: Propane Tank Truck Incident, Eight People…”[1]

 

Narrative Information

 

Dec 24, AP (published Dec 25/NYT): “Memphis, Dec 24 — The death toll has risen to nine in the explosion of a propane truck that blew up and burned after hitting a retaining wall on an Interstate highway here. To people who were injured in their home in Friday morning’s accident died at a hospital today, and the authorities said a ninth person was killed in a separate accident in the traffic jam that followed the crash.

 

“The National Transportation Safety Board entered the investigation of the accident today. Michael Benson, a spokesman, said the board was concerned because the accident involved interstate trucking and hazardous materials. He said the investigation would examine the record of the truck and driver, the trucking company, the layout of the highway and the response of emergency personnel….

 

“The 100,000-gallon tanker skidded on an exit ramp of Interstate 240 in the Midtown section of Memphis, struck a retaining wall and exploded, said Capt. Benny McDow of the Fire Department. The tank shot 125 yards and crashed into a duplex apartment, crushing the building and killing a 10-year-old girl inside. The fire spread to several other houses and cars. The six killed at the scene have been identified as Randall Benson, 29 years old, of West Memphis, Ark., the truck driver; three other drivers, Harrison G. Lee, 34, of Brighton, Tenn., Robert Wardlow, 40, of Memphis, and Tina Wiles, 30, of Vicksburg, Miss.; Warner Wiles, 70, of Vicksburg, Mrs. Wiles’s father-in-law, and Shelanda Towles, 10, killed in her house.

 

Iva J. Rubesheim, 87, who lived in the other half of the duplex from Shelanda, and James M. Malone, 57, who lived in another burned home, both died today in the Regional Medical Center.

A second truck driver, David Bailey, 29, of West Helena, Ark., was killed when his 18-wheeler struck a car tied up in the ensuing traffic jam, the police said.” (

 

 

Dec 25, AP/Baird: “Memphis, Tenn. — A 10,000-gallon propane truck burst into a fireball and blasted off ‘like an unguided missile,’ smashing into a house 125 yards away, killing two people inside and five motorists, authorities said. The tanker skidded on an interstate exit ramp near downtown Friday morning [Dec 23], hit a wall and exploded…The death toll rose to eight when the driver of an 18-wheel truck was killed after plowing into a traffic jam caused by the wreck. Ten other people were injured including…[one] listed in critical condition …at the Regional Medical Center.

 

“The huge fireball destroyed six cars and damaged half a dozen houses in addition to the duplex caused by the taker truck, officials said….

 

“The truck crashed in Interstate 240 rupturing its tank and releasing liquid propane that turned into a gaseous cloud as it escaped. A spark apparently triggered the explosion, authorities said….

 

“The victims had little chance to escape the flames, said Frank Baker, a deputy fire chief at the scene. ‘There was a huge fireball, maybe 700 to 800 feet,’ Baker said. ‘It engulfed three or four cars.’ ‘I heard the explosion and saw the tanker flying through the air. It fell on the house and just blew up,’ said witness Marvin Mitchell.’ ‘It was like an unguided missile,’ said John Stonecipher, a city fire marshal.

 

“Witnesses said the tanker skidded on the 25-mph ramp, according to fire Capt. Benny McDow. The surface of the heavily used ramp onto Interstate 40 was dry. “He was trying to exit and lost control and hit a retaining wall,’ McDow said. ‘That exit there is short. It’s one of those tight turns.’

 

“The tanker remained mostly intact, but one end was blown out lie a spent rocket. The burned-out hulks of cars were left scattered along I-240 and blackened a quarter-mile of grassy shoulder. A fender from the truck wound up in a tree, and a truck axle with four wheels attached ended up in the kitchen of James Edgeston’s house two doors from the destroyed duplex…Edgeston…suffered a cut head but was not seriously hurt.

 

“Some of the dead were so badly burned they had to be identified through dental records, Stonecipher said.

 

“The dead included Shelanda Towles, a 10-year-old girl in one apartment in the duplex, and an elderly woman inside the other apartment, said police Lt. James Krepela…Also killed were the tanker’s driver, Randall Benson, 29, of West Memphis, Ark.’ drivers Harrison G. Lee, 34, of Brighton; Robert Wardlow, 40, of Memphis; Tina Wiles, 30, and her passenger, mother-in-law Warner Wiles, 70, both of Vicksburg, Miss., Krepela said.

 

“The accident left traffic backed up miles north and south of Memphis. Trucker David Bailey, 29, of West Helena, Ark., was killed when his tractor-trailer slammed into the rear of a car tied up in a traffic jam on I-240, said Patrolman Jim Greenland.

 

“Eleven people were taken to hospitals, officials said. Six were admitted, including the elderly woman who died later, and fire were treated at emergency rooms and released.” (Associated Press (Woddy Baird). “Propane tank truck explodes.” Paris News, TX. 12-25-1988, p. 16A.)

 

Dec 27, AP: “Memphis, Tenn. (AP) — City Council members want state officials to speed up redesign of the Midtown Memphis interstate ramp where a propane tanker crashed and exploded, causing nine deaths. The tanker, driven by an Arkansas man who was among the victims, was hauling nearly 10,000 gallons of propane when it crashed on the ramp at the interchange of Interstates 40 and 240 on Friday…. ‘I am, for one, outraged at the design of that particular intersection,’ Councilman Tom Marshall said Monday. ‘I do intend, and I think other councilmen intend, to visit with state officials and ask them to work hastily to correct it. The unfortunate thing is it has taken a tragic incident such as this to generate the attention for Memphis officials, since all of Memphis has known about it so many years. It is kind of like deciding to put a traffic light at an intersection after so many deaths — simply a reaction to a situation, and I think this sort of thing needs to stop.’

 

“Marshall and Councilman A.D. Alissandratos said they will request at today’s meeting that money from the council’s contingency fund go to help people displaced by the incident.

 

“State officials are planning to rebuild the interchange — a twisting, hazardous stretch for trucks — as part of a $100 million project that could begin within two years. Marshall and Alissandratos said they will ask for the renovation take place sooner.

 

“Federal investigators said they are examining ‘battle scars’ from previous wrecks on the ramp. ‘That area has many battle scars — remnants of paint and scratches and what have you around the area and on that road that show where past accidents occurred,’ said Michael Benson, spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board. ‘We’re told there had been numerous accidents at that place, but we want to document it,’ he said….So far, no evidence of violations of transportation regulations have been found, investigator Leslie McMillan said….

 

“The accident killed six people on the interstate, including the truck’s driver, Randall Benson, 29, of West Memphis, Ark., and another trucker who wrecked in a traffic jam caused by the explosion. A 10-year-old girl and elderly woman were killed in the duplex struck by the tanker, and a neighbor died after the fire spread to eight other housing units.

 

“NTSB investigator James E. Burnett said a roadside inspection by the Arkansas Department of Transportation found the tanker rig to be free of defects. Benson [tanker driver] had traveled through the accident site often and had received no moving violations, Burnett said. Benson, who worked for Wooten Transports Inc. of Memphis, was certified as medically fit to drive hazardous materials and had also passed a drug test a year before.” (AP, “Memphis City County wants quick redesign of ramp where tanker exploded.” Courier News, Blytheville, AR, 12-27-1988, 8.)

 

Isner/NFPA Abstract: “On Friday, December 23, 1988 at approximately 10:15, a propane tank truck overturned on a highway in a populated section of Memphis, Tennessee and released a vapor cloud. The cloud was ignited, burning several buildings adjacent to the highway and several automobiles. Eight civilians died and nine others were injured. The vapor cloud ignition also resulted in a BLEVE[2] of the propane tank.

 

“The 29-year-old driver reportedly had a good driving record and was familiar with the road. His truck had a propane tank with a water capacity of about 10,450 gallons and was apparently in good repair. The accident occurred in the city limits of Memphis on an exit ramp with a sharp turn.

 

“While negotiating the turn, the driver appears to have lost control of his vehicle. The truck rolled over approximately 1¼ times and skidded for a distance. The tank was punctured by an unknown means, and propane was released. The expanding vapor cloud spread over several hundred feet of the highway covering all travel lanes.

 

“Investigators believe that the vapor cloud might have been ignited when it seeped into one of the houses on the west side of the highway. The ensuing fireball ignited other houses and spread back across the highway engulfing several cars. When the burning of the vapor cloud reached to propane tank, a BLEVE occurred, and the tank broke into several pieces. The largest part traveled about 360 feet from the accident scene and stuck a house, causing a fire in that structure.

 

“In addition to the driver, two occupants of one house and an occupant of another house were killed. Four people in automobiles also died in the fire and nine people were injured. Six houses, one industrial building, and thirteen vehicles were burned. One house and five vehicles were also damaged by debris.” (Isner. Fire Investigation Report: Propane Tank Truck Incident, Eight People Killed, Memphis, Tennessee, December 23, 1988. NFPA, 2-6-1990 Revision, p. i.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Death Toll at 9 in Memphis Tanker Explosion.” New York Times, 12-25-1988. Accessed 9-28-2016 at: http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/25/us/death-toll-at-9-in-memphis-tanker-explosion.html

 

Associated Press. “Memphis City County wants quick redesign of ramp where tanker exploded.” Courier News, Blytheville, AR, 12-27-1988, p. 8. Accessed 9-28-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/arkansas/blytheville/blytheville-courier-news/1988/12-27/page-8?tag

 

Associated Press (Woddy Baird). “Propane tank truck explodes.” Paris News, TX. 12-25-1988, 16A. Accessed 8-2-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/texas/paris/paris-news/1988/12-25/page-16?tag

 

Isner, Michael S. (Fire Protection Engineer, NFPA). Fire Investigation Report: Propane Tank Truck Incident, Eight People Killed, Memphis, Tennessee, December 23, 1988. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association, 2-6-1990 Revision, 25 pages. Accessed 9-28-2016 at: http://www.eversafe.com.ph/pages/support/NFPA/LP%20Gas%20tank%20explosion.pdf

 

[1] A review of the last paragraph in the Abstract, dealing with fatalities, appears to note only the direct results of the explosion and fire, and does not include the death of a tractor trailer truck driver in the traffic resulting traffic jam.

[2] Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion.