LIVONIA — The Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office reports that a deputy, who was struck by a vehicle on U.S. 190 near the site where two oil tanks caught fire Monday morning after being hit by lightning, is in stable condition but faces a long road to recovery.
The sheriff’s office identified the injured deputy as Robert Williams.
“If you know Deputy Williams, you know that he has a passion for law enforcement, a selfless heart that will help others at all costs, and a smile that is absolutely contagious here at PCPSO,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a Facebook post.
The deputy was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained in the crash. Louisiana State Police is investigating the incident.
Deputy Williams is the same sheriff’s deputy who was hailed a hero aftering saving the lives of five people who were inside a car that went up in flames last summer. Williams jumped into action during a traffic stop when he notices gas leaking from the car.
MORE: Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s deputy saves five people from burning car
“I saw something dripping from the bottom of the car. I thought it was like water or something like the AC. I noticed the car was low. It hit the road and it struck a spark and then flames just came up. I saw it dripping even more. So I figured it was gasoline,” Deputy Williams said.
The deputy quickly realized it was a gas leak emanating from the car. Due to imminent danger, he immediately ordered the occupants to exit the vehicle.
Oil tank fire update
The lightning strike ignited a massive fire at an oil tank facility in Pointe Coupee Parish as severe storms swept through the area Monday morning. Officials believe the fire then spread to a second tank.
Livonia Police Chief Landon Landry said firefighters contained the blaze around 11:00 a.m. Monday. He reported that approximately 10 fire trucks were on the scene using foam to battle the flames. However, with no water hookups at the site, fire trucks had to periodically leave to refill their tanks, temporarily shutting down U.S. 190.
The fire broke out at a storage facility owned by Reliable Production Drilling Services. The tanks contain a mixture of crude oil and salt water, according to Landry. He noted that there are about seven tanks in total, and firefighters were spraying the surrounding tanks to prevent the fire from spreading.
“They’re trying to put foam on it now to put the fire out. They’ve got the water shooting on the tanks next to it to keep them from getting hot enough to catch on fire,” Pointe Coupee Sheriff Rene Thibodaux said.
Although Landry said there is no immediate need to evacuate nearby residents, he acknowledged the presence of pipelines in the area.
“(They’re) in a fairly secluded area. There are no houses in the immediate area, but we’re monitoring it. The Fire Department has mutual aid coming from all over the area, trying to help contain the fire.
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