By Titus Mohler and Morgan White

The Farmville Herald

A Seay Milling & Machinery Co. propane truck rolled over on Route 45 in Cumberland County on Friday, resulting in a spill of the truck’s propane, as confirmed by Randolph District Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ryan Bates.

According to Virginia State Police Public Relations Coordinator Susan Rowland, a 2016 Ford F350 Super Duty was traveling southbound on Route 45 near the intersection of Whippoorwill Way shortly before 11 a.m. when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The truck ran off the right side of the road, struck a tree and overturned.

“The driver — Nelson L. Sharpe, 46, of Dillwyn — was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious injuries,” Rowland said. “A 20-year-old male passenger, who was the only other occupant, also suffered serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to the hospital.”

Both occupants were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Sharpe was charged with reckless driving.

“The truck was carrying an estimated 400 gallons of propane at the time of the accident, and when we arrived on scene, there was a small, steady cloud that would come off any time you see a hazmat situation,” Bates said. “And it took us about two to three hours to get it controlled, but luckily no one was hurt or anything.”

The agencies at the scene initially were Randolph District Volunteer Fire Department, Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department and Farmville Fire Department.

Tankers used water to dissipate the propane.

“Then being such a rural county, water isn’t on every street corner, so at that point we just started calling in other agencies from outside the county to assist with the water supply until we could get the leak stopped,” Bates said.

On its Facebook page, Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department reported that “Rescue 21 & Tanker 22 are currently assisting Randolph District Fire Dept at an overturned propane truck in the area of Asal Rd and Cumberland Rd.”

Bates noted the initial call came in at about 11 a.m.

“And I think the last unit left the scene at, I would say, around about 4:30, 4:45,” he said. “And the whole time, Route 45 was shut down from John Randolph Road to Holman Mill Road, and all traffic was redirected around.”