LIMA, Ohio — A fiery crash and explosion at a busy intersection on the west side of Lima killed an area doctor formerly of Toledo and hurt two other people Tuesday night.
Nearly 100 people from 30 nearby homes were evacuated after a sport utility vehicle driven by Dr. Matthew J. Heider, 44, of Cridersville, Ohio, collided with a tanker carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline at Eastown and Allentown roads.
The crash caused the tanker to burst into flames, creating an inferno that could be seen for miles around.
Dr. Heider, an anesthesiologist at St. Rita’s Mercy Medical Center in Lima and Lima Memorial Hospital, and a father of eight, was killed. A passenger in his SUV, his daughter, Rachel E. Heider, 14, also of Cridersville, was treated at St. Rita’s.
Ronald E. Funk, 50, of Leipsic, Ohio, who was driving the tanker owned by Ottawa Oil Co., also was treated at St. Rita’s.
David Webb, a retired Lima firefighter who now works as assistant director of the Allen County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said it was fortunate there were not more injuries. The fire actually disintegrated a portion of the roadway and part of a concrete culvert underneath the road.
“It was an intense fire. You’re talking 8,000 gallons of gasoline on fire at the same time,” Mr. Webb said. “There were a lot of minor explosions — tires going off, different pockets of fuel. And this was right underneath some very large power lines. A lot of those failed. It was a pretty intense firefight.”
An environmental clean-up firm was brought in to try to contain and recover as much of the spilled gasoline as possible. Mr. Webb said some of the product entered storm sewers and a nearby drainage ditch.
Mr. Funk was westbound on Allentown which also is known as State Rt. 81, about 8:40 p.m. when he collided with Dr. Heider, who was southbound on Eastown, according to the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
There are traffic signals at the intersection, but investigators said they were not yet sure how the crash occurred.
Mr. Webb said the intersection is well-traveled, but few vehicles were in the area at the time.
“It could have been at a lot worse time of day and it could have been at a lot worse location,” he said. “Where this occurred there is sparse residential on one side and pretty much farm on the other side. But it’s a very busy intersection at certain times of day. Luckily, only this one truck and one [SUV] were involved.”
About 1,400 American Electric Power customers lost service, including the Lima News, which had to print yesterday morning’s newspaper at the Findlay Publishing Co.
Shelly DiMattio, spokesman for AEP Ohio, said power was restored to all affected customers by 6:45 a.m. yesterday.
Mr. Webb said the American Red Cross and South Side Church of Christ provided shelter for 10 people displaced by the evacuation.
Dr. Heider was a graduate of Bowsher High School in Toledo, Kent State University, and the Ohio State University school of medicine.
Surviving are his wife, Cynthia, and children, James, Rachel, Anna, Samuel, Emilia, Matthew, Caleb, and Carrie.
Visitation will be after 2 p.m. tomorrow in the Chiles and Sons Laman Funeral Homes, Lewis Chapel, Lima. Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday in Cable Road Alliance Church, Lima, of which he was a member.
