FERRISBURGH, Vt. (WCAX) – There are still more questions than answers about a natural gas tanker fire on Route 7 in Ferrisburgh. And now that it’s happened twice, some are questioning the safety of these big rigs rolling through Vermont communities.
“I was like, you gotta be kidding me,” said Rep. Matt Birong, D-Vergennes.
Birong is still in disbelief after another tractor-trailer caught fire on Route 7 in Ferrisburgh.
“Then the initial question was how does this happen twice within a year in essentially the same location?” Birong said.
Ferrisburgh Town Clerk Pam Cousino was also in shock.
“It just seemed incredible that it could happen in the same place a year apart. That was just really surprising to us,” Cousino said.
Like last year’s fire, officials say the truck tractor is owned by KAG Merchant Gas Group in Ohio and the trailer is owned by NG Advantage in Colchester.
“I understand that these are really rare, that this may appear to be a freak incident, but the people that live in the community don’t want to hear that,” Birong said.
Both officials are thankful the trucks didn’t catch fire in a more populated area, like downtown Vergennes where the flames could have endangered more people and buildings.
“We are just really concerned that if this could happen again,” Cousino said.
DMV investigators say the two trucks were being operated by different drivers and both have clean driving records.
Investigators also note that last year’s fire started on the trailer with a mechanical failure in the rear axle, while this year’s fire started on the truck tractor.
No violations or tickets are expected to be issued.
“The second incident amplifies the frustration with the lack of answers from the last incident, right? So, obviously, any steps that were taken weren’t enough, and now I’m sensing a pattern, not just a one-off,” Birong said.
Birong wonders whether more oversight of natural gas tankers is needed but says he needs to learn more about current regulations before pursuing any possible legislative action.
“I want to understand what’s in place before I try starting to solve the problem,” he said.