Saturday, April 25, 2015

PROPANE TANKER CARRYING 9,000 GALLONS OF PROPANE EXPLODES AFTER CRASH IN BROWNFIELD, TEXAS, KILLING ONE PERSON, CRITICALLY INJURING ANOTHER













APRIL 25, 2015

BROWNFIELD, TEXAS

23-year-old man still critical after Brownfield propane tank explosion.

A 23-year-old man remained in critical condition Friday evening, as investigators continue trying to piece together what caused a fiery accident along Highway 62 in Brownfield.

Although officials originally believed a collision between two semis caused a propane tanker to explode about 7:30 a.m. Thursday in Brownfield, Police Chief Tony Serbantez said officers are still investigating.

“All I can say right now, because we’re still in the preliminary investigation, is it didn’t appear that both semis had any contact with one another,” he said.

After the accident, though, both vehicles were engulfed in flames. The driver of one semi, Robert Clifford Melvin, 58, of Lubbock died from his injuries. The driver of the other semi, Raymond Edward Neal, Jr., 45, of Alabama, was not injured, Serbantez said.

Aaron Foshee, 23, of Brownfield, who was in a third vehicle, got caught up in the accident. University Medical Center officials said Foshee was still in critical condition Friday evening.

After the accident, Serbantez said hazardous-material crews were called to the scene of the flash fire since the propane tanker was still holding about 1,000 gallons of propane.  About 8,000 gallons of propane had vanished in the explosion and fire.

Officers began working the scene Thursday afternoon.

“Once they cleaned all that out, the tanker was moved not too far from the area to let it ventilate it more. We investigated the scene a little bit more,” Serbantez said. “About 10 p.m (Thursday) we gathered what we needed and TxDOT then took over and repaired the highway.”

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BROWNFIELD, TEXAS MAN STILL CRITICAL AFTER DEADLY PROPANE EXPLOSION

APRIL 24, 2015

BROWNFIELD, TX (KCBD)

A Brownfield man remains in critical condition Friday after suffering severe burns in a propane explosion on Thursday.

Two semi trucks collided on the highway just before 8 a.m. Robert Melvin, 58, of Lubbock died on the scene.

Melvin was driving a semi hauling a tanker filled with propane. Authorities tell us he was northbound, when it appears he swerved to avoid another semi in front of him. The trucks collided and the tanker then exploded.

Investigators say the second semi, driven by Robert Neal Jr., 45 from Alabama, may have been making a U-turn. Neal was not injured, and investigators are still working to determine which lane he was in, and whether he signaled.

Aaron Foshee, 23 of Brownfield also suffered critical burns when the tanker exploded. Authorities say he was in his pick-up in the southbound lanes when the explosion happened. Foshee remains hospitalized at University Medical Center in critical condition.

U.S. Highway 62/82 north of Brownfield is now back open to traffic.

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1 PERSON DEAD, 1 CRITICAL CONDITION, FLASH FIRE NEAR BROWNFIELD AFTER TWO SEMIS COLLIDE

APRIL 24, 2015

BROWNFIELD, TEXAS

Two semi trucks collided just before 8:00 am outside of Brownfield along Highway 62/82 Thursday morning, causing a fire.  Eyewitnesses described not only a fire but also an explosion.  
Officials said Robert Clifford Melvin, 58, of Lubbock, was driving a propane semi truck, and collided with another semi truck, causing the initial explosion. Melvin was pronounced dead on the scene. 

Officials also said that a black pickup truck was involved in the explosion. The driver, 23-year-old Aaron Foshee of Brownfield was taken to University Medical Center Burn Center for treatment. Thursday evening Foshee remained in critical condition.

"Initially when it rolled over it had impingement into the tank and it released a tremendous amount of propane," Charles Addington, Chief of Wolfforth Hazmat and Fire said. "It had a flash fire and reached to probably around 100 yards out, and then had involvement of some signs and property."

DPS was called to the scene to help with traffic control, and emergency crews were called to assist Brownfield with moving the propane tank that was leaking.

Addington said when his team arrived, thousands of gallons of propane had already leaked from the tank. 

"It was 9,000 gallons fully loaded, and when we got here there was probably 1,000 to 1,500 gallons left," Addington said. "We've been letting the vapors go during the day to keep it cool until we can stabilize the scene and get the accident taken care of."


Brownfield Police officers are investigating. Two different Hazmat teams were called and both residents and businesses nearby were evacuated as a precaution. 

"We are very fortunate that the tank didn't rupture," Dennis Rowe, Chief of Brownfield Fire Department said. "Had it ruptured, we would be in a while lot bigger mess than we are in now. But by pulling all our resources together we handled it well. All the guys came together, worked well together, and got the job done."
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Lubbock, Texas man dies after propane truck explodes in accident in Brownfield. Another driver of a car caught up in the explosion is critical


TWO TRACTOR-TRAILERS COLLIDE ON U.S. 62/82 AROUND 7:30 A.M.
APRIL 24, 2015

First responders battled the blaze created by a deadly tanker truck explosion after a crash Thursday morning on U.S. 62/82 in Brownfield. 

BROWNFIELD — One person is confirmed dead after a propane tanker exploded Thursday morning in Brownfield, said Cpl. John Gonzalez with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Robert Clifford Melvin, 58, of Lubbock died from his injuries.
A collision between two tractor-trailers caused the explosion about 7:30 a.m. The crash was barely inside Brownfield’s city limits, on the north side of town on U.S. 62/82.

Both vehicles were engulfed in flames.

Driving southbound, an oncoming driver from Alabama got caught in the explosion and was taken to Lubbock for medical treatment, said Tony Serbantez, chief of police in Brownfield.

Hazardous-material crews were called to the scene, and the tanker was holding about 1,000 gallons of propane, he said.

North- and southbound lanes of the freeway were closed near Bynum Lane in Brownfield. The Texas Department of Transportation diverted traffic to side streets.

No other information was available by late Thursday.