Driver, toddler killed in fiery crash near Pembroke
The driver of a tractor-trailer and a toddler in a pickup were killed in a crash Thursday afternoon in Robeson County that resulted in evacuations and the closure of several lanes of N.C. Highway 72 that lasted into the night, authorities said.
Posted — UpdatedThe accident occurred around 1:20 p.m. about 5 miles southeast of Pembroke, at the intersection of Cold Storage Road and N.C. 72, according to the Robeson County Sheriff's Department and the State Highway Patrol.
A 2007 International tractor-trailer was eastbound on N.C. 72 when it ran off the right side of the highway in a curve and hit a sign, the Highway Patrol said. The driver, Otis Enoch Jr., then over-corrected, and his rig started to overturn. A westbound 2004 Mitsubishi pickup swerved to the right to avoid a collision, but the tractor-trailer continued off the highway to the left and slammed into the pickup, authorities said.
Both vehicles then caught on fire.
Enoch, 63, of Whitsett, was trapped in the cab of his truck and died. Likewise, 1-year-old Windshae McRae was trapped in the back seat of the pickup and was killed.
The toddler's parents, Wendell McRae 57, and Niasia Oliver, 29, both of Lumberton, were airlifted to McLeod Hospital in Florence, S.C., in stable condition.
The crash resulted in a haz-mat situation in the area, with chemicals leaking on the highway. Authorities had to spray foam on the roadway and detoured traffic from the area.
A shelter was set up for people living in the affected area who were forced to evacuate.
The Highway Patrol is still trying to determine what caused the tractor-trailer to go off the highway, but neither speed nor alcohol is considered a factor.
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