Firefighter, truck driver identified in Hardin Co. crash
HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — A firefighter and a truck driver are dead following a Hardin County traffic accident involving a fire truck and a log truck, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The driver of the log truck, Christopher Durham, 30, of Booneville, Miss. was dead when crews arrived at the scene, according to the THP. First responders were cleaning up the aftermath hours after the collision. Authorities said the fire truck was responding to a call around 9:30 a.m., Tuesday. “We had a structure fire, a house fire,” Hardin County Fire Chief Melvin Martin said. “While responding, one of our tankers was involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler log truck.” A post on the Hardin County Fire Department Facebook page as well as the THP identified the fire truck driver as Gus Loseleben, 69, of Savannah. That post can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hardin-County-Fire-Department/242346631406?fref=photo Residents who live near the crash site said it is on a dangerous road. “It’s a bad, dangerous road,” said Gerald Ingle, who lives just miles from where the crash occurred. “There’s a lot of curves on that road, and you’ve got to watch what you’re doing on it.” “It’s a narrow road they were on,” Ingle said. “Just bad. It makes you sick. It’s just sad what it is. It’s sad on both parts.” The Hardin County Fire Department said it did make it to the house fire but was not able to save the home. The Tennessee Highway Patrol said both vehicles were traveling along Holland Creek Road when the fire truck driven by Losleben crossed the center line and hit the front end of the log truck head-on. According the the THP report, it is unclear if Losleben was wearing his seat belt, but indicated Durham was not wearing his seat belt.
