One person dies in accidents involving logging trucks

By Scott Grooms

One person was killed and two others were critically injured in an accident involving a logging truck. The accident occurred on October 1 at the Whetstones Crossroads intersection in Bamberg County. The scene of the accident is approximately a half-mile from the Colleton County line at the intersection of Hwy 21 and Hwy 61. A loaded lumber truck heading north on Hwy 21 collided with a passenger vehicle that was traveling on SC Hwy 61. The logging truck overturned, spilling its load of wood, and then slid into a supermarket that was being renovated. A worker operating a skid steer loader at the store was struck by the log truck and the operator was ejected. Unfortunately, the driver died at the scene of the accident. The Thorne rescue service from the Bamberg district treated the truck driver and called for a rescue helicopter. Bamberg County units also requested mutual aid from Colleton County. The highway was blocked by debris and tree trunks. Multiple Colleton Fire-Rescue units responded to assist the driver of the car, treating her and transporting her to the trauma center at Trident Medical Center. A Meducare helicopter from Orangeburg responded to the scene and flew the truck driver to a trauma center in Charleston. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.