Driver trapped under gasoline tanker on I-55

RIDGELAND — Firefighters performed an extrication of a person pinned in a car under a tanker truck on I-55 North at County Line Road Tuesday and the victim “miraculously” only suffered minor injuries.

Ridgeland Fire Department Training Officer Nathan Bell said Engine 1, Rescue 1, Ladder 4 and Rescue 4 responded to the 1:12 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, call at I-55 North and County Line Road in response to a report of a wreck involving a tanker truck and car.

Arriving units found a green car pinned under a tanker truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline with the driver entrapped in the vehicle, Bell said.

Bell said traffic was diverted onto County Line Road and then onto Highway 51 by the Jackson Police Department for more than 45 minutes. He said they eventually got one northbound lane on the interstate moving while they were still on the scene. 

After what was described as a “very tedious extrication,” Bell said the driver was removed and transported to University Mississippi Medical Center. The driver suffered only minor injuries.

Bell said that the scene was cleared around 3 p.m.

Other responding agencies included the Ridgeland Police Department, Mississippi Highway Patrol, JPD, Pafford EMS and Wards Heavy Wrecker Service.