Multi-vehicle wreck sends Dexter man to hospital in Cape

Matt Sanders photo - Dexter firefighters work to extinguish the fire from burned-out shell of a Tyson work truck driven by Delbert Sanders in Thursday afternoon's accident on Highway 60 West.

When accidents happen, quick thinking on the part of those involved can save lives.

That was the case Thursday afternoon on Highway 60 West just south of Highway 25, when a group of motorists involved in an accident saved the life of a man trapped in a burning vehicle.

The accident occurred at 3:38 p.m., when a tractor-trailer driven by Leartis Grant of Nashville, Tenn. struck a Tyson work truck driven by Delbert Sanders, of Dexter, in the rear. Sanders' vehicle struck another from behind, then caught on fire and struck two other vehicles before coming to rest sideways in the middle of Highway 60 West, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

When emergency workers arrived on the scene, Sanders had been pulled from his burning vehicle.

"Me and her got out of the truck and saw his truck was burning," said Sandra Wiley, who was riding in one of the vehicles involved in the accident. The 1997 Ford truck, driven by Lisa Kelsey of Puxico, was struck in the driver side by Sanders' vehicle.

An Arch air-evac helicopter transports Delbert Sanders from the scene of the accident on Highway 60 Thursday afternoon. Sanders suffered serious injuries in the accident and was transported to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

"He hollered and we went over and tried to pull him out," said Wiley.

As Wiley and Kelsey tried to pull Sanders from his burning vehicle, a young man who had also been in the accident rushed to their aid.

Michael Blankenship, whose vehicle was forced off the road and rolled over on an embankment after being struck in the rear by Sanders' truck, was able to escape from his car by busting open the sunroof and jumping out. He then ran to the flaming truck and helped pull Sanders out. He was wearing his seatbelt, which likely saved him from serious injuries.

"I saw the flames so I ran up there and drug him out of the passenger side," said Blankenship. "I had to get him out before he burned to death. I like to have never got him out."

The fire was started by the impact, but the exact cause is unknown, and could have been a fuel leak said Dexter Fire Chief Al Banken. Dexter firefighters were able to extinguish it quickly.

Dave Cooper, head of the Stoddard County Ambulance District, said without the efforts of the other motorists, Sanders would have likely perished before emergency crews could have removed him.

Sanders was the only one to receive major injuries in the accident. He was airlifted to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau by Arch helicopter, where he was treated for serious injuries.

No one else at the scene was injured.

Matt Sanders may be reached via email at msanders@dailystatesman.com