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Tipsy Tanker Truck Recovery

by cdcidevel | Nov 17, 2021 | Emergency Incident Response, Emergency Towing, Emergency Towing Service, Recovery Blog, Truck Recovery

Last summer, on July 15, 2020, Team Pro-Tow got a call for a truck recovery. A tanker truck had gone off the roadway and into the ditch. The tank it was hauling was nearly tipped over, balancing precariously on one wheel. One wrong move, and that tank could tip entirely.

Our team of highly skilled and trained operators arrived at the scene with our equipment to rescue the tanker truck. First, we set up a truck recovery plan and secured the rigging on the truck and tank trailer. Then, we straightened out the casualty using a heavy crane-style wrecker, so it was no longer in danger of flipping. Our team then towed the tanker truck safely out of the ditch.

A tipsy tanker truck requires an emergency towing service. If it flips, there will be damage, and depending on what is in the tank, it might spill hazardous materials.

Why do tankers tip and need truck recovery?

Like any truck that tips and needs an emergency towing service, an imbalanced load is typically the cause. With tanks, they carry liquid. Much of the time, it’s a potentially dangerous liquid like oil or gas. Or it could be caring milk, water, or even liquid animal feed. As the truck goes down the road, that liquid sloshes around the tank and could cause balance issues. It is especially hazardous on winding roads and in the wind.

When you imagine 5,000 to 10,000 plus gallons of liquid sloshing around, you can see why extra measures are required to maintain balance.

What prevents tanker trucks from tipping?

There are a few methods to help prevent tanker trucks from tipping and needing truck recovery. The most recent and commonly used system is an inflatable “airbag” made of rubber installed inside the tank. These airbags fill the empty space in the tank and will absorb the pressure of all those gallons of liquid. Essentially, it stops all that sloshing around during transport.

Even with technologies in place, accidents can still happen and need emergency towing service. For example, wind, weather, road conditions, traffic, and operator error can cause a truck to go into the ditch and lose balance. If this is the case, call Team Pro-Tow for truck recovery!

Heavy Truck Tow Out of Snowy Ditch

by cdcidevel | Nov 3, 2021 | Emergency Incident Response, Heavy Truck Tow, Heavy Truck Towing, Recovery Blog, Semi-Truck, Semi-Truck Accident, Semi-Truck Accident Recovery, Trailer Recovery

On November 3rd, 2020, a truck with a loaded trailer slid into a snowy ditch and needed a rescue. Upon arrival, our team quickly put together a recovery plan and rescued the stuck trailer with a heavy truck tow.

Incidents like these can, unfortunately, be a common issue during the winter. Slippery roads and ever-changing weather conditions can make driving a truck a challenge. That’s where proper winter preparation and road safety is essential.

Here are some safety tips for winter driving, truck and equipment checks. Keep these tips in mind to minimize or eliminate the need for emergency towing services.

Prepare for Winter Driving

The first step to avoiding an emergency or breakdown is to prepare. In the winter, check your tires and make sure they are winter-ready. Start with equipping winter tires and then check that the tire pressure is in the correct range. Proper tire pressure plays a crucial role in safely braking, turning, and gripping snowy or icy roads. Your tires are essential to avoid sliding into the ditch and needing semi-truck towing.

In the worst-case scenario that you end up in an emergency or are waiting for a heavy-truck tow, make sure to pack an emergency kit. Include things like a shovel, extra warm clothing, water, a first aid kit, and heavy-duty traction pads.

Regular Inspections Are Key

When driving in the winter, ensure your battery is fully charged, your cooling systems are working, and the fuel tanks are always at least 50% full. Also, always do pre-and post-trip inspections to ensure that nothing has become damaged during a winter trip.

Always double-check that your chains and ties are correctly locked down for heavy loads to avoid load shifts or tilts. Keep in mind that Pro-Tow can always help if you need help with a load shift or emergency towing service.

No matter what help you need and what season, our Pro-Tow team is always here to help. We have all the equipment and knowledge to provide semi-truck towing, recovery, or emergency rescues.

Beef at 47 Cargo and Truck Recovery

by cdcidevel | Oct 20, 2021 | Cargo Recovery, Emergency Incident Response, Recovery Blog, Semi-Truck, Semi-Truck Accident, Semi-Truck Accident Recovery, Semi-Truck Spill Recovery, Spill Cleanup, Spill Recovery, Trailer Recovery

On February 26, 2021, a transport trucker lost a snow chain on the I-90, westbound at exit 47. When the snow chain snapped, it damaged his tire, which led to damage to his fully-loaded semi-trailer. The damage was mainly to the structural frame of the trailer and fuel line, resulting in fuel to steam on the road and adjacent snowpack.

Fuel spill recovery

This accident needed fuel spill recovery, as well as heavy-duty towing and cargo recovery. Because of the accident, the trailer refrigerator wasn’t running, and it was carrying 38,000 pounds of frozen beef. Upon investigation, the customer saw that the fuel spill was severe. We estimate there were 10 to 20 gallons of fuel that required fuel spill recovery.

Team Pro-Enviro went to work to repair the leaky fuel line, contain the spill, and with extensive cleanup of the road and surrounding snowbanks. Meanwhile, Team Pro-Tow created a recovery plan to complete trailer recovery to save the beef, and heavy-duty towing services. Read more about Pro-Enviro’s spill recovery efforts with this incident.

Heavy-Duty Towing

Team Pro-Tow brought a heavy-duty wrecker that could tow the trailer and its 38,000-pound load of valuable beef. Fortunately, we repaired the fuel and electrical lines to the refrigerator to save the cow!

After we repaired the trailer and Pro-Enviro had completed the cleanup, we could load it up for safe transport. The client was happy that the incident didn’t spoil the beef, and it was a successful cargo recovery. Once we got our equipment back to the shop, we cleaned and conditioned everything for the next job.

Working as a Team

When there is a semi-truck accident that involves a fuel or oil spill, Team Pro-Tow and Team Pro-Enviro work together on the response. Pro-Tow handles the complex heavy-duty towing, including complicated crane lift and uprighting of extremely heavy trucks and equipment. However, before that can happen, Pro-Enviro ensures fuel spill containment and repairs to prevent further contamination during transport of the casualty. Pro-Enviro also takes care of spill recovery and cleanup.

If an accident requires an experienced heavy-duty recovery team, you can always call on Pro-Tow.

Tipper in the Ditch: Semi-Truck Recovery

by cdcidevel | Oct 6, 2021 | Heavy Duty Tow, Heavy Duty Towing, Heavy Truck Recovery In Auburn, Heavy Truck Recovery In Maple Valley, Heavy Truck Recovery In Spokane, Heavy Truck Tow, Heavy Truck Towing, Recovery Blog, Semi-Truck, Semi-Truck Recovery

In this incident, on May 28th, 2021, We received an emergency dispatch about a collision involving a fully loaded semi-truck that had gone off the roadway and into the ditch. We received pictures of the incident, so based on those, we put together our equipment.

We sent an HD Crane Style Wrecker and HD C Class Wrecker and set out this heavy truck towing job.

Semi-Truck Recovery

Once we arrived and did a scene assessment, we decided that a Pick and Pass play would best recover the unit. The casualty had the steer axle out of the ditch, and the trailer was heavily leaning on the roadway. First, we placed the HD Rotating Crane Style Wrecker at the rear of the casualty to pick and swing the trailer back onto the road. Then, we placed HD C Class Wrecker at the front to help pull the casualty out of the ditch. Unfortunately, we discovered an air leak blocking the brake release. So, we had to plug the air first to fix the cause, which was the broken air dryer.

Now the work began. We got the semi-truck recovery ready by rigging the HD Rotating Crane Style Wrecker in a Pick and Pass configuration using loop straps and rear tandem sliders. Then, we rigged the HD C Class Wrecker to the front using frame chains in a bridle configuration.

Heavy Truck Towing

As always, we double-checked all the straps and chains before picking the Pick and Pass maneuver. Then, slowly and safely, we engaged the winches to start the recovery. We steadily pulled the casualty out of the ditch while the rear was lifted onto the roadway.

The driver opted out of heavy truck towing, so we returned our equipment to its original condition and location in the yard. We then returned to the yard and completed the paperwork for this successful Pick and Pass semi-truck recovery.

Be sure to check out our other incident reports on our Recovery Blog!

If you require truck accident recovery, give Pro-tow 24-Hour Towing a call.

Burnt-Out Trailer Recovery On The I-5

by cdcidevel | Sep 1, 2021 | Accident Recovery, Emergency Incident Response, Recovery Blog, Semi-Truck, Semi-Truck Accident, Semi-Truck Accident Recovery, Semi-Truck Spill Recovery, Spill Cleanup, Spill Recovery, Trailer Recovery

On December 10, 2020, Team Pro-Tow responded to a Washington State Patrol’s (WSP) call for accident recovery on the I-5. A tractor and trailer had caught fire and was extensively damaged. In addition, all the tires were also severely damaged, which makes for a challenging recovery.

Team Pro-Tow on the Scene

This truck and trailer recovery required a Class C heavy-duty crane-style wrecker. The tires, wheels, floor, walls, and axels of the trailer were heavily damaged by the fire. We used extra equipment to move the trailer safely. We needed to bring in a heavy-duty flatbed trailer and a converter dolly to help with accident recovery.

Recovery Plan in Place

We knew that for trailer recovery, the converter dolly needed to go under the front of the trailer to move it from the rear. However, we quickly learned that even with the support of the converter dolly, the trailer was too severely damaged to tow safely. Therefore, the safest option for this accident recovery would be to load the trailer on a flatbed Landoll trailer, still using the support of the converter dolly.

Team Pro-Enviro took care of highway cleanup, spill recovery, and cargo salvage. Read Burnt Mayo Cargo Salvage to learn more.

Loading the Trailer

Slowly but surely, Team Pro-Tow rigged and loaded the trailer onto the flatbed. We used a snatch block to double the winch line and reduce line tension. This method helps safely pull loads with minimal strain and damage. When the burnt trailer and equipment were moved off the I-5, we moved it to a secure yard. Because of the height of the load, a pilot car needed to accompany the trailer transport.

Caught on Fire – Again

On the way to the yard, the pilot truck behind the trailer noticed smoke coming from it. Our team pulled over to check it and found the trailer was once again on fire. The fire was coming from the battery box. They put it out with three fire extinguishers. Then they cut and secured all electrical connections from the battery box so it wouldn’t ignite again.

Trailer Recovery Complete

Finally, after few roadblocks, our team got the trailer casualty back to our secure yard. We used two heavy-duty Class C trucks to remove the trailer from the Landoll flatbed. Then we put it on two retention ponds. Another accident recovery complete by Team Pro-Tow!

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