Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Enforcement & Safety Division and the Vermont State Police have concluded their joint investigation into a June 1 fire that destroyed a natural-gas tanker truck and damaged a portion of US Route 7 in Ferrisburgh.
DMV’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Team conducted an extensive Level 1 Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection on the truck and trailer. The inspection determined the cause of the fire was a mechanical failure somewhere in the rear axle area of the trailer. Due to the amount of damage, the origin and exact cause of the fire is undeterminable.
The tractor-trailer was a total loss in the fire. There was no explosion. The tanks on the trailer performed as designed, allowing for a controlled burn of the compressed natural gas rather than a catastrophic explosion.
VSP has finalized its work on this case, which included memorializing the initial response to the incident and shutting down the roadway to facilitate firefighting efforts, along with interviews of involved parties and documentation of damage.
No injuries were reported. Repairs have been completed of the road surface and various cables damaged in the fire.
The carrier, identified as KAG Merchant Gas Group LLC of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, has been cooperative throughout the investigation.
***Previous update from DMV Enforcement, 3 p.m. Friday, June 9, 2023***
The State of Vermont’s response to a recent incident with a compressed natural gas truck fire on U.S. Route 7 in Ferrisburgh highlighted the collaborative work done on an ongoing basis by the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Enforcement and the Vermont State Police (VSP) under the Governor's 10-Point Public Safety Enhancement and Violence Prevention Action Plan.
“The investigation has been ongoing and comprehensive since the incident began,” said Captain Adam Pockette, DMV Safety Chief. “DMV and VSP have an excellent working relationship and assist each other whenever needed. Often our diverse focus areas result in our agencies working simultaneously on the same incident while concentrating on separate prongs of these multi-pronged investigations.”
The Vermont State Police provided the initial law enforcement response to this incident, which occurred at about 11:05 p.m. Thursday, June 1, 2023. Troopers will be interviewing involved parties and witnesses, and completing documentation of a non-collision vehicle emergency, which is standard procedure when VSP responds to vehicle fires.
The DMV Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Team is working in conjunction with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and the State of Vermont HAZMAT Team to complete a comprehensive level one post-crash inspection investigation focusing on the driver, motor carrier, and vehicles involved. This incident remains under active investigation; the involved parties have been cooperating with the investigation.
***Previous update from VSP, 2:50 p.m. Friday, June 9, 2023***
The investigation into last week’s fire involving a commercial motor vehicle carrying compressed natural gas on U.S. Route 7 in Ferrisburgh remains active and ongoing. The Vermont State Police and the Department of Motor Vehicles Enforcement & Safety Division are working in close coordination on various elements of the investigation.
The Vermont State Police provided the initial law enforcement response to this incident, which occurred at about 11:05 p.m. Thursday, June 1, 2023. Troopers will be interviewing involved parties and witnesses, and completing documentation of a non-collision vehicle emergency, which is standard procedure when VSP responds to vehicle fires.
DMV also responded to the scene and is performing an evaluation of the involved tanker truck due to its status as a commercial motor vehicle. This includes post-incident inspection and follow-up investigation as necessary, along with notification to other relevant government and private regulatory bodies as needed.
Work has been completed to repair the road surface and various cables including internet and electrical that were damaged in the blaze. Investigators have determined that the natural gas tanker did not explode, as vehicles transporting compressed natural gas and other petrochemicals have a safety mechanism designed to off-gas the contents in a controlled manner in the case of a fire specifically to avoid a potentially catastrophic explosion.
The tanker involved in this incident is owned by KAG Merchant Gas Group LLC of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and the operator is identified as Tyshawn Brown of Colchester.
The Vermont State Police continues to be interested in speaking to any witnesses to this incident. Motorists and others in the area who saw the fire or the tanker prior to the blaze are asked to call the Vermont State Police in New Haven at 802-388-4919 and ask for Sgt. Brittani Barone.
VSP and DMV will provide updates regarding the investigation into the cause of this fire as more information becomes available.
Source: FERRISBURGH, Vermont (Wednesday, June 28, 2023) — VSP.
