Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

A commercial truck carrying chemicals used as fertilizer exploded Wednesday on a highway in Arkansas, killing its driver. And while authorities are still investigating the situation, people are already calling the man a hero. At the time of his death, 63-year-old Randall McDougal was trying to extinguish the flame after refusing to abandon the vehicle and taking it away from populated areas.

Image credits: BamBam The Trucker

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: twitter.com

According to Arkansas State Police, the remains of Mr McDougal of El Dorado were recovered from the site along U.S. Highway 278 west of Camden, east of the Nevada – Ouachita county line near Arkansas Highway 57.

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: ProMed Ambulance

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: ProMed Ambulance

Reportedly, Mr McDougal was transporting ammonium nitrate when his brakes caught on fire. He noticed the fire and called 911. He then proceeded to take the vehicle to a remote area and parked it where there were no houses or buildings. But even then Mr McDougal wouldn’t give up. While first responders were evacuating houses, he was trying to put out the fire. However, the tanker exploded, blowing a 15-foot (4.5-meter) crater in the road and killing him on site.

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: twitter.com

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: ErikaFerrandoTV

A one-mile perimeter has been set and areas near Highway 278 and Highway 57 have been evacuated. “It looks like a bomb went off,” Camden Fire Chief Robert Medford told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “There’s a big hole in the ground on where the truck was at.”

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: ErikaFerrandoTV

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: Unknown

Another driver who’s known online as Bam Bam the trucker shared the story and it has already received over 48k reactions and shares. People are sending their prayers to the family, calling Mr McDougal a hero for putting his life before others.

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: ErikaFerrandoTV

The Arkansas Department of Transportation said crews would begin repairing the crater once the wreckage from the accident was cleared. The affected road is a low-volume road that carries about 1,300 vehicles per day, department spokesman Danny Straessle said.

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: ErikaFerrandoTV

According to Melody Daniel, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, officials haven’t yet determined what caused the truck to catch fire. Also, three injured firefighters were brought to the hospital for their injuries, and two were later released, she said.

Camden Fire Department Assistant Chief Ron Nash said the force of the blast tore the tops of the surrounding pine trees and shattered the windshield of a fire truck and a Camden Fairview School District bus.

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Here’s video from the Ouachita Electric Cooperative of the scene down in Camden. The Department of Emergency Management has confirmed one has died from the explosion. @KATVNews #ARNews pic.twitter.com/W8zspbj8Nj
— Nick Popham (@KATVPopham) March 27, 2019

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: ScottofLR

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Image credits: AlwaysLake

People were incredibly moved by Mr McDougal’s heroic actions

Hero Truck Driver Takes Burning Truck To A Remote Area Before It Explodes, Killing Him

Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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What do you think ?

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Laugh Fan 5 years ago

What a tremendously brave and selfless act. RIP

76points

diane a 5 years ago

I hope he gets a true Truckers send off.

13points

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Stcejbo Era Nemow 5 years ago

RIP Randall McDougal. You we're a very brave, selfless man. You are a true hero.

47points

Stcejbo Era Nemow 5 years ago

*were. Sorry typo

9points

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Freya the Wanderer 5 years ago

If there is a Heaven, it has a special place for him.

2points

diane a 5 years ago (edited)

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Effseven Six 5 years ago

In most cases I'd say truckers are sorta like ship captains. Thier cargo and truck are important, but more so is the lives of others. They'll go down with it, if it means saving lives. We had something like that where I live. Trucker on the freeway got cut off and lost control. Instead of possibly causing a huge accident and killing people he ran himself into the side wall. He lived, and saved lives. I have A LOT of respect for them. RIP Mr. McDougal. You were a hero that day.

22points

Cesi Baca 5 years ago

I don’t understand though. What was he actually doing with the truck? Was he trying to shut off something or stop the chemicals from flowing. He must have know he wasn’t finna make it. Just amazing bravery.

4points

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