Federal Motor Safety Carrier Association places Industrial Transit, Inc. Out of Service for Safety Violations due to Hazardous Takata Explosion in Quemado
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The United States Federal Motor Safety Carrier Association (FMCSA) placed Industrial Transit, Inc. of Georgia out-of-service after being found of violating several safety violations during an investigation of a fatal tractor-trailer accident on August 22, 2016 in Quemado, Texas while transporting hazardous Takata Air Bag ammonium nitrate and air bag cylinders filled with ammonium nitrate, leaving one person dead and injuring four people.
On August 22nd, a truck of Industrial Transit, Inc. had an accident on U.S. Highway 277 North in Quemado, Maverick County, Texas while carrying the hazardous Takata ammonium nitrate load when its driver failed to maneuver a curve on the highway and the truck crashed in a ditch in front of a rural residence and the hazardous cargo exploded, causing a fiery explosion which was felt as far away as two miles and igniting the residence in front of the accident scene, burning its resident, Lucila Robles, to death.
“The trailer carrying Ari bag detonators and blasting agent exploded and engulfed in flames, causing fire to the home and a passing vehicle,” said the Texas Department of Public Safety in a statement following the accident.
On October 4, 2016, FMCSA placed Industrial Transit, Inc. out-of-service for several safety violations, including, but not limited, to: allowing two drivers without valid CDLs to operate its vehicles within the last two months; failing to implement a drug testing program for its employees/drivers; failing to regularly inspect, maintain, and meet minimum safety standards for its vehicles; and failing to ensure drivers comply with maximum hours-of-service regulations.
In a press release, the FMCSA stated that Industrial Transit, Inc. displayed “a complete and utter lack of compliance with operation of federal safety regulations.”
Industrial Transit, Inc. operated five commercial trucks and regularly transported hazardous materials. The company was ordered to immediately cease all operations and may face civil penalties for the safety violations, as well as referring the case for possible criminal prosecution.
One lawsuit regarding this fatal accident had already been filed in the 365th Judicial District Court in Maverick County, Texas in Eagle Pass. More lawsuits concerning this tragic accident are anticipated to be filed in the future.
