FIERY WRECK
BETWEEN TWO TRACTOR-TRAILERS KILLS FLORIDA TRUCK DRIVER IN LAURENS COUNTY, S.C.
One lane opens after deadly wreck on I-26
LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. —The South Carolina Highway Patrol
reports a deadly accident blocked part of an Upstate interstate in Laurens
County early Friday.
The wreck was reported at 2:10 a.m. on eastbound
Interstate 26 at mile marker 56, according to the Highway Patrol’s website.
That's east of Clinton near Hurricane Church Road.
Troopers said two tractor-trailers collided, causing one
to burst into flames.
Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols said the driver of
the burning tractor-trailer died at the scene. The driver was identified as
Tony Cummings, 54, of Miami, Florida.
Nichols said the tractor-trailer was registered to a
company out of Florida called Vice Trucking, Inc.
The city of Clinton's director of public safety Robin
Morse said he closed the interstate early on in the investigation due to the
fact that the contents inside the burning trailer were unknown.
Once they determined the tractor-trailer was not
carrying anything hazardous, he opened one lane, Morse said. He said Cummings
was hauling a food product.
A detour was in place for eastbound traffic at mile
marker 54, which is the Highway 72 Clinton exit, troopers said. That detour was
removed at 5:30 a.m.
One lane is now open eastbound.
Motorists are still asked to use caution in the area and
expect delays.
The driver of the other tractor-trailer, Charles
Johnson, 53, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was wearing his seat belt and
not injured, troopers said.