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Fire and rescue crews from across the county responded to a pair of accidents in the Fairfield area during the heavy rains last Tuesday, one on Interstate 81 and the other on U.S. 11.
According to the incident report from the Virginia State Police, the accident on Interstate 81 early Tuesday afternoon began when an SUV traveling on the southbound lanes hydroplaned on the wet road and “ping-ponged” between the side of the bridge over Sterrett Road and a passing tractor-trailer.
The tractor-trailer, in an effort to avoid the vehicle, swerved and hit the side of the bridge, causing the second of the two trailers it was pulling to flip over the side of the bridge and onto Sterrett Road. A third vehicle, a tractor-trailer hauling cars, ran through a guard rail just north of the bridge and down into the median between the north and southbound interstates, ending up on Sterrett Road.
Three people were transported from the accident scene, all with nonlife threatening injuries, Rockbridge County Fire Chief Nathan Ramsey told The News-Gazette last week, and other than some diesel fuel having to be cleaned out of the storm drains on Sterrett Road, there were no major hazards to drivers.
“Considering what it looked like, it could have been worse,” he said.
Crews from South River Volunteer Fire Department, Rockbridge Baths Volunteer Fire Department, Fairfield Rescue Squad, Raphine Volunteer Fire Department and Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue responded to the scene, as did ambulances from Lexington and Buena Vista.
Crews from the South River Volunteer Fire Department and Rockbridge Baths Volunteer Fire Department also responded to an overturned tractor-trailer on U.S. 11 near Fairfield Elementary School later Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Virginia State Police’s incident report, the tractortrailer was driving south when it drifted off of the road and the tires sunk into the wet ground, shifting the weight of the trailer – and the 63 cattle it was hauling – causing it to overturn.
Due to the construction of the trailer, the cattle had to be unloaded before the trailer could be pulled upright and local farmers were called to help assist in unloading the animals from the trailer. Additionally, Augusta Farmer’s Co-op, Rockbridge Farmer’s Co-op and Blue Ridge Animal Clinic sent people to assist with the animals. Nine of the cattle were lost in the incident. Six were killed in the crash and three others had to be euthanized at the scene due to their injuries. The remaining 54 cattle were transported to McClung’s Dairy in Fairfield.
