Lexington, SC (Paul Kirby) – A tractor trailer involved in a collision near the 58 mile-marker of I-20 west was fully involved in fire when emergency crews began arriving on the scene about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday. Callers advised that they thought the truck was a moving van that was filled with household items. There were reports that the truck had hit a tree and was off the roadway which appeared to be confirmed by the SCDOT cameras in the area. It was not clear if other vehicles were involved.
The fire crews that were first due had difficulty getting to the wreck because of the location in the construction zone. Some equipment had to run “suicide”, a term meaning that they are travelling in the closed lanes in the wrong direction on the interstate. Other teams abandoned their equipment and were walking in on foot to lend a hand. The battalion chief in charge asked that two tanker trucks be dispatched to Baskin Hills Road, the frontage road, to supply water through the fence to the fire engine that’s involved in the fire attack. He also asked that the tower ladder's crew out of Lexington respond to provide some relief manpower. The on-scene supervisor from the fire service later reported that someone was trapped in the flaming wreckage and was deceased. The Lexington County Coroner’s Office was notified and responded.
At 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, all west bound lanes of I-20 are closed near the 58.5 mile-marker. They began reopening some of the lanes in that direction around 2:00 p.m. There was also one eastbound lane closed for some time. Lexington Police Officers closed the west ramp at Sunset Boulevard and were setting up detours. Because of the fatality and the investigation that followed, at least a portion of I-20 was closed for some time.