FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 AM ON FRIDAY, 12/18/20, A 2008 HINO BOX TRUCK WAS HEADING NORTH ON SOUTH OCEAN BLVD. IN MANALAPAN, FL. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS THE DRIVER VEERED LEFT AND CROSSED OVER THE SOUTH BOUND LANE AND LEFT THE ROADWAY AND TRAVELLED IN THE LANDSCAPED SHOULDER FOR APPROXIMATELY 100', STRIKING MULTIPLE TREES, A POWER UTILITY BOX AND A GAS METER SET. THE GAS METER SET RISER WAS SNAPPED OFF UNDER THE SERVICE REGULATOR AND THE ESCAPING GAS IGNITED. ACCORDING TO THE FIRST BYSTANDER ON THE SCENE, THE DRIVER WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE TRUCK WHICH WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE DRIVER WAS PRONOUNCED DECEASED AT THE SCENE. ONE PASSENGER IN THE TRUCK WAS EJECTED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND WAS TAKEN TO ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. EMERGENCY RESPONDERS FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND PLUGGED THE BROKEN RISER AT 12:10 PM ON 12/18/20. AS OF 1/15/2021, THE PALM BEACH SHERIFF'S OFFICE VEHICLE HOMICIDE REPORT IS INCOMPLETE AND A DETERMINATION OF THE DRIVERS CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH IS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE BRAKING OR SKID MARKS AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH AND A MEDICAL EMERGENCY MAY HAVE OCCURRED. UPDATE 9/9/2021 - OBTAINED PBSO VEHICLE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION REPORT ON 9/3/2021. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, IMPAIRMENT IS UNKNOWN DUE TO NEGATIVE BLOOD, TISSUE, AND/OR URINE VOLATILE. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THE DRIVER WAS DISTRACTED OR USING A MOBILE DEVICE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. NO CITATIONS WERE ISSUED TO THE DRIVER DUE TO BEING DECEASED. REPORT STATES THAT ACTIONS OF THE DRIVER CAUSED HIS OWN DEATH. THE SERVICE WAS REPAIRED BY INSTALLING APPROX. 7' OF 1 1/4"" PE PIPE, AN EFV, NEW RISER AND METER SET. THE METER WAS MOVED NEXT TO A WALL AND CRASH POSTS WERE INSTALLED ON 12/22/2020.